Opponents: Emporia State Hornets (22-17, 13-13 MIAA)
When: Friday-Sunday, April 20-22 - 6 p.m., 2 p.m., 1 p.m.
Where: Warrensburg, Mo. - Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field
First Pitch
• Central Missouri returns home after playing their last six games on the road. They went 2-4 in that span.
• The Mules are 11-7 in true road games this season, with eight of those wins coming in a row.
• UCM will look to bounce back at home following a 10-2 road loss at Lindenwood this past Tuesday.
• The Mules is 15-2 at home this season and are winners of their four home games. They are home for the next seven games and will be their final home games of the regular season.
Quick Hits
• Central Missouri was picked to finish second in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• Central Missouri totaled 32 wins last year. The Mules have won at least 30 games in all three seasons under Coach Crookes.
• The Mules have finished with a winning record in each of the last 32 seasons.
• The Mules are 18-8 in MIAA play and still sit second in the conference standings.
On the Air
• All three games will be on 98.5 The Bar and warrensburgradio.com as a part of the Central Missouri Sports Radio Network.
•
Bob Jackson will be on the call with the Mules' Dugout Show approximately 25 minutes prior to first pitch.
• Games one and two will also be webcast online through the MIAA's Blue Frame portal at http://www.themiaanetwork.com/ucmmules/.
The Series
• Central Missouri is 107-51 all-time against Emporia State. In four meetings last season, the Hornets were 3-1 against the Mules.
• UCM is 4-6 against the Hornets under
Kyle Crookes They went 0-2 against them in his first season as head coach. In year two, UCM defeated ESU 3-1, including a 2-1 series win in Warrensburg.
Emporia State
• Emporia State enters the weekend with a 22-17 mark overall and a 13-13 record in MIAA play. The Hornets swept their three-game set against Central Oklahoma at the beginning of the week, but fell to Missouri Western, 11-3, in a Tuesday midweek game.
• The Hornets are 7-6 on the road this season after falling at Missouri Western. In their last six road games they are 2-4 in that span and have lost three straight.
• As a team, the Hornets are hitting .298 on the season which is fifth in the MIAA. Their .402 on base percentage ranks third out of 13 teams, while their .430 slugging percentage is eighth.
• Bryce Fischer leads the team in multiple categories and nearly all rank in the top-10 in the MIAA. He's batting .439, has a .350 on base clip, and has 51 RBI to lead the MIAA. His .777 slugging percentage is second. His 44 runs scored are tied for fourth, while his 15 doubles are eighth.
• Kaden Shaffer is the second leading hitter for ESU at .344. Against MIAA opponents, he is hitting .392. Brandon Bachar is batting .317 in 22 MIAA games played. Mason Brown (.309), Mack Gowing (.308), and Brian Grove (.308) are all batting over .300 in MIAA play so far this season.
• The Hornets don't have much power this season as they have just 29 home runs, which is third to last (11th) in the league. Fischer leads the team with 65 hits and 11 home runs, which rank third and fifth in the MIAA, rescpectively.
• ESU is tied with UCM for seventh defensively with a .959 fielding percentage. They've committed 60 errors which is tied for sixth most in the league.
• Pitching is not a strong suit for the Hornets who enter the weekend with a 5.49 team ERA, 10th in the MIAA.
• Tanner Cairns has the most work with 60.2 innings pitched. He sports a 5.49 ERA and has a 7-1 record in 11 starts this season, which is tied for second in the league. He has struck out 45 batters, second most on the team.
• Seth Holman has also made 11 starts this year for ESU. He has appeared in 13 games overall, and sports a 4.44 ERA. In 71 innings of work he has fanned 73 batters, which is fourth most in the MIAA.
• Mason Leclair and Nathan Gieber have been solid out of the bullpen. Leclair has a 1.42 ERA, while Gieber is at 4.00. Both have three saves this year. Gieber has the most appearances with 17 and has 26 strikeouts.
• Trey Taylor has also been a help out of the bullpen. He sports a 3.27 ERA in 13 appearances this season. In 11 innings of work, he has fanned 11 batters and has one save.
The Mules
• Central Missouri is 27-11 overall with a 18-8 mark in MIAA play. UCM currently sits second in the MIAA regular season standings and is ranked No. 22 in the latest NCBWA Top-25 rankings.
• After a short week last week, the Mules started this week with a road game at Lindenwood. The Mules fell to the Lions, 10-2, but claimed the season series, 2-1.
• As a team, the Mules are third in the MIAA with a .320 batting average. UCM is holding teams to a .354 on base percentage and is averaging just under eight runs a game at 7.85
• The top of the order has been reliable for the Mules this season.
Mason Janvrin and
Erik Webb have a combined 106 hits and 62 RBI. Janvrin is batting .368 from the leadoff spot and has two home runs to go along with eight doubles. His 45 runs scored are third in the league this season.
• Webb leads the team in RBI with 38. His .379 batting average is second on the club and ninth in the MIAA. He has 28 extra base hits, including 10 home runs. His 12 stolen bases are second most on the team and tied for fifth in the MIAA. His .769 slugging percentage and 16 doubles are the most on the team as well.
• The bottom of the lineup has been just as reliable for UCM. The combination of
Dalton Dull and
Donovan Ditto has started all 38 games at second base. They have a combined 27 hits from the No. 9 spot in the lineup. In 94 at bats overall, Ditto is hitting .298 with a .402 on base percentage. Dull is batting .433 in 30 at bats and has a .469 on base percentage.
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Travis Able is the team's leading hitter at .397, which is sixth in the MIAA. He has .471 on base percentage and third on the team with 35 RBI. His 54 hits are second on the team.
•
Collin Nevil is batting .349, while
Justin Graff-Rowe is batting just under .300 at .298.
Harrison Schnurbusch is hitting .289. Nevil is second on the team with 37 RBI.
John Fairchild (23), Graff-Rowe (21), Schnurbusch (19), Ditto (17),
Payne McCutcheon (14), and Zak Wahalin (11) all have at least 10 RBI.
• In 328 innings pitched, Mules pitchers are giving up just one hit per inning. Opponents are hitting just .267 off of UCM pitchers, but have reached base in other ways with 126 walks and have reached on 58 errors and 51 hit batsmen.
• UCM pitchers have also done well at holding runners on base. The Mules have given up just 19 stolen bases in 38 games on 29 attempts and have picked four runners off.
• On the flip side, the Mules have stolen 83 bases in 112 attempts themselves. Janvrin has a league leading 28 stolen bases, while Webb is second on the team with 12. Schnurbusch is third with nine.
• The Mules have hit 39 home runs from 12 different players. Nevil, Webb, Janvrin, McCutcheon, Graff-Rowe and Fairchild have all slugged at least two home runs this season. Nevil leads the way with 11, which is tied for fifth in the MIAA. Webb is second on the club and tied for ninth in the league with 10.
• The Mules have gotten a lot of production from their catcher position. McCutcheon has supplied some power with two home runs and 14 RBI. Whalin has 17 hits in 49 at bats for a .354 batting average and
Cole Hoover is hitting .250 with nine hits and seven RBI.
• UCM's bullpen continues to play well. While Mules pitchers have a 4.69 ERA this season to sit third in the MIAA, the bullpen ERA is 3.50.
Luke Mercer has eight saves on the year, which is tied for second most in the MIAA. He sports a 2.12 ERA and has struck out 21 batters in 17 innings of work.
•
Coby Seiz still has the most work out of the pen. He's thrown 24 innings and given up just seven earned runs and 20 hits with 22 strikeouts. He has two saves and sports a 2.62 ERA.
Ross Juliana has been solid as well with a 4-1 record. He has pitched 20.1 innings and has 18 strikeouts on the year.
Last Time Out
ST. CHARLES, Mo. (April 17, 2018) – Central Missouri Mules Baseball had a rough outing Tuesday night as they fell to the Lindenwood Lions,10-2, on the road. With the loss, the Mules are now 27-11 overall and 18-8 in MIAA play.
Play-by-Play
• It was a slow start for both teams as neither scored a run until the third inning. The Mules scored the game's first run on a
Collin Nevil single to drive in
Mason Janvrin. The Mules had just one run the remainder of the game.
• The Lions (19-20, 11-16 MIAA) answered in the bottom of the third. Rayce Singbush got on base on a Mules error to leadoff the bottom of the third and advanced to third. A RBI groundout from Brett Andersen tied the game, 1-1.
• Lindenwood opened up the game in the bottom of the fourth with four runs scored. Ian Nelson drove in Drew Quinones to give the Lions the lead, 2-1. A two RBI double from Vince Saladino pushed the lead to three runs. Rayce Singbush made it 5-1 with a RBI single through the right side.
• UCM added their final run in the top of the fifth inning.
Cole Hoover got on base on a hit by pitch and got to third on a Janvrin single. Hoover stole home to make it a 5-2 game.
• Saladino singled to leadoff the bottom of the sixth for the Lions. After stealing second, he got to third on a groundout by Andersen and scored on a wild pitch.
• The Lions added four more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to keep the game out of reach. A wild pitch scored the first run and fourth run. Conor Behrens added the other two runs with a double to left center.
Mules Stat Leaders
• Janvrin collected three hits in four at bats, with a run scored.
• Nevil was 2-4 and a RBI.
•
Travis Able had the only other hit, going 1-3.
•
Collin Jones and
Ross Juliana each had two strikeouts on the night.
For the Lions
• Behrens was one of five batters to have two hits on the night. He was 2-4, with two runs scored and two RBI.
• Saladino also had two hits in four at bats, with two RBI and a run scored.
• Degner and DJ Miller each went 2-5, with a run scored.
• Nick Baulda finished 2-3 with a RBI.
• Kyle Hentis earned the save on the mound working three innings. He had a game-high seven strikeouts and gave up just two hits.
• Austin Georgen picked up the win to go to 1-1 on the hill. He struck out one batter in 1.2 innings worked and did not allow a hit.
News and Notes
• The Mules are now 11-7 in true road games this season. In Tuesday games, they are now 3-3 on the year.
• UCM is now 26-11 all-time against Lindenwood and 7-6 against them under
Kyle Crookes.
• The Mules end their six-game road trip at 2-4.
Up Next
• The Mules return home for their next seven games. They get their homestand started with a three-game set against Emporia State April 20-22. Game one is set for a 6 p.m. start at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field on Friday.
Mules in the Polls
• The Mules checks in at No. 22 in the latest NCBWA National Poll after being ranked No. 18 last week.
• Central Missouri has been ranked in the last eight NCBWA polls after starting the season unranked.
• The Mules stand pat at No. 15 in the latest ABCA/Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II Poll.
• UCM moved down one spot to No. 20 in the latest Perfect Game Baseball Division II Rankings.
Mules in Non-Conference Action
• Central Missouri went 9-5 in non-conference games during the 2017 season
• The Mules are 35-24 overall in non-conference action during Crookes' three seasons.
• UCM went 9-3 in non-conference games. They do not have a scheduled non-conference game for the rest of the regular season.
Mules in MIAA Play
• The Mules finished 23-13 in MIAA play last season and are 96-41 in conference play under
Kyle Crookes.
• The Mules finished fourth in the regular season standings in 2017. They have won 25 overall regular season championships in program history.
• Central Missouri is 18-8 in conference play after falling to Lindenwood, 10-2, this past Tuesday.
Mules at Home
• The Mules went 14-4 in home games during the 2017 season and are 15-2 in 2018.
• Central Missouri was 15-5 at home during the 2015 season and is 63-14 at home under Crookes.
• The Mules are 803-158-1 (.835) in 962 games played in 43 seasons playing home games at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.
• Central Missouri will host the 2018 MIAA Baseball Championship Tournament at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field this May.
Mules on the Road
• The Mules went 12-11 on the road in 2017.
• The Mules are 50-37 on the road under head coach
Kyle Crookes.
• Central Missouri is 11-7 in true road games this season after falling at Lindenwood this past Tuesday, 10-2.
Mules in Neutral Site Games
• UCM has started 1-2 in neutral site games following the Houston Winter Invitational.
• The Mules are 22-16 in neutral site games under Crookes.
• Central Missouri does not have a scheduled neutral site game for the rest of the regular season.
UCM During the Crookes Era
•
Kyle Crookes has a 132-66 (.667) record now in his fourth season as head coach at Central Missouri.
• In 2016, he won his first conference championship as head coach at UCM and the second title overall during his time in Warrensburg.
• During his first three seasons at the helm, 30 players have earned All-MIAA honors, including seven First Team nods. Seven players have earned All-Region honors, one All-American and two players have been selected in the MLB Draft.
• The Mules were 71-29 in Crookes' two seasons as an assistant coach and captured the 2014 MIAA Regular Season Championship. The Mules garnered five First Team All-MIAA selections and three All-America honors during his two years as an assistant.
• Crookes compiled a 292-164 overall record in eight seasons as the head coach at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College before taking over as an assistant coach at UCM.
Mules Baseball History
• The 2018 season marks the 63rd in the storied history of Mules Baseball. During that span the Mules have compiled a 1,891-752-9 (.715) record in 2,652 games played.
• The Mules have won 40 or more games 18 times, including 14 straight seasons from 1999-2012, and have won 50 or more games nine times.
• The Mules have won or shared 25 MIAA championships, captured 17 regional titles and two national championships.
Mules Baseball by the Numbers
• 28 NCAA Regional Appearances (21 of the last 24 years)
• 25 MIAA Titles (17 of the last 24)
• 21 MIAA Tournament Titles (17 of the last 24)
• 17 Regional Championships
• 15 Regionals as host site
• 14 Top Five national finishes
• 4 Third place finishes
• 1 National Runner-Up
• 2 National Championships
Mules Baseball: Winningest Team of the 2000s
• The Central Missouri baseball program has had unprecedented success in the last 25 years and has been even more impressive since the year 2000. The Mules were the winningest team in all divisions of the NCAA by victories (508) and percentage (.814, 508-116) from 2000-09. That success has continued through the 2010s.
• The Mules are 860-241 (.781) since the year 2000. An average of 46 wins per season over the last 18 years.
A Tradition of Excellence in Athletics
• Central Missouri has won a combined 214 MIAA regular season conference championships in 14 league sports to lead all schools.
• This past fall, Central Missouri Jennies Soccer won their first NCAA Division II National Championship with a 1-1 (5-3 PK) win over Carson-Newman.
• This past winter, Central Missouri Jennies Basketball captured their 11th MIAA regular season championship and seventh Central Region crown this season. They defeated Ashland, 66-52, to win the 2018 NCAA Division II Women's Basketball Championship.
• Last season, UCM captured three MIAA regular season titles, one MIAA Tournament crown and two NCAA Regional Championships.
• Since 1983, the tenure of Athletic Director
Jerry Hughes, UCM has won or shared 160 MIAA championships, more than any other league school.
• Central Missouri has won 10 national championships during Hughes' tenure (men's and women's basketball in 1984, baseball in 1994 and 2003, women's bowling in 2003, men's basketball in 2014, women's indoor and outdoor track & field in 2015, women's soccer in 2017 and women's basketball in 2018, and 12 national championships overall.
• In 2016-17, Central Missouri won the inaugural MIAA's Commissioner's Cup trophy for the conference's top overall athletic department.
A Tradition of Excellence in the Classroom
• Central Missouri had 252 student-athletes named to the 2016-17 MIAA Academic Honor Roll with grade point averages of 3.0 or higher.
• 22 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Scholar Athletes with at least a 3.5 GPA and having earned all-MIAA honors in their respective sport.
• 20 UCM student-athletes were named MIAA Academic Excellence Award winners with a 4.0 GPA.
• UCM had five student-athletes earn CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in their respective sports.
• All-time UCM is fourth in NCAA-II with 103 Academic All-Americans.
•
Carly Thomas of Jennies Bowling was awarded prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships last year.
Upcoming
• The Mules continue their homestand with a midweek game against Southwest Baptist on Wednesday, April 25 at 6 p.m. UCM is 1-1 against SBU and will look to claim the series.
