Lucas Pitches Gem in Mules Win

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (April 20, 2018) - Behind a strong pitching performance from Luke Lucas, Central Missouri took game one of their three game set with Emporia State, 4-1.

Play-by-Play
• Lucas started right out of the gates retiring the Hornets in order in the first. The Mules gave him a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning and Lucas did the rest.
• Collin Nevil plated the Mules first run of the inning with an infield single, and a throwing error on the play allowed for Erik Webb to score.
• An inning later, the Mules doubled up there total with two more runs. With two outs and a runner on base, Zak Whalin crushed the first pitch he saw over the field in left field.
• After that, Hornet starter Seth Holman settled in, but it was more than enough for Lucas. 
• Two doubles in the eighth inning got ESU on the board, but Lucas got out of the inning leaving a runner on second. 
• Lucas came out for the ninth and allowed a two out single but nothing else, for a 110 pitch complete game. 

Mules Stat Leaders
• Lucas pitched all nine innings allowing just one run on five hits with six strikeouts and no walks.
• The Mules collected 11 hits. Mason Janvrin had three of them. He finished 3-4 with a double.
• Travis Able and Harrison Schnurbusch each collected two hits and scored a run.
• Whalin finished 1-3 with a home run and three RBI.

For the Hornets
• Holman matched Lucas tossing a complete game of his own. He pitched eight innings giving up four runs, three earned on 11 hits with six strikeouts.
• The Hornets scattered five hits from five different spots in the order.
• Trevor Turner finished 1-3 with a run scored.
• Brian Grove had a double and an RBI.

News and Notes
• The game finished in a brisk one hour and 50 minutes. It was the Mules fastest game of the season and second to finish in under two hours.
• Neither pitcher issued a walk for the entire game.
• The Mules have tossed two complete games this season, Lucas has both of them. 
• Janvrin extended his hitting streak to 11 games and Able extended his on base streak to 14 games.

Up Next
• The Mules play game two of the series tomorrow afternoon with a 2 p.m. first pitch.