MARYVILLE, Mo. (April 5, 2018) – Central Missouri Mules Baseball dropped a pair of tough road games Thursday afternoon as they fell 9-8 and 8-3 to the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats. The doubleheader sweep drops the Mules to 25-9 overall and 16-7 in MIAA play.
 
Game One - Northwest Missouri 9, Central Missouri 8 - 10 innings
Play-by-Play
• The Mules grabbed their only lead in the first inning thanks to a pair of Bearcat errors. Mason Janvrin got on base off a fielding error and advanced to second on the throw. He then stole third and crossed home plate on a throwing error by the catcher.
• Coby Seiz worked a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the first, but NWMSU (19-14, 14-5 MIAA) responded with a 1-2-3 inning to start the second. They tied the game up in the bottom half of the inning as Luke Hassman led off with a solo home run to left field.
• NWMSU added three runs in the bottom of the third to grab a 4-1 lead. Mo Gutierrez drove in a run with a double to right field. Landon Figg followed him up with a RBI single up the middle. Two batters later Kev Handzlik got to first on a fielder's choice, while Figg made it home on the play.
• Two runs in the top of the fourth got UCM within one, 4-3. Travis Able got on base after being walked and then stole second. John Fairchild drove him in with a RBI single and got to second on the throw home. After a wild pitch advanced him to third, he then stole home to score the run.
• The Bearcats scored four in the bottom of the fifth to lead 8-3. Landon Figg drove Hud Bilodeau in with a RBI single. Gutierrez then made it home on a fielder's choice following a pitching change by UCM. Aarro Barratt plated home Hassman on a base hit to left field. Handzlik added the fourth run on a wild pitch by the Mules to score from third.
• The Mules cut the deficit to three in the sixth scoring three runs. Able got on base on an error to leadoff. He got to second a Justin Graff-Rowe single and then stole third. Fairchild drove both runners home with a two RBI double. Fairchild got to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Zak Whalin single.
• UCM scored two in the ninth to tie the game after both teams went scoreless in the seventh and eighth. Collin Nevil led off with a solo home run to center field. Janvrin then singled and Donovan Ditto got him to third with a double. Webb tied the game with a RBI groundout to score Janvrin.
• NWMSU worked a 1-2-3 inning to start the 10th. Aaro Barratt led off with a groundout the bottom of the inning and then the Bearcats loaded the bases on a pair of singles and a walk. Bilodeau played the role of hero with a walkoff single to left center to lift NWMSU over UCM, 9-8 in 10 innings.
 
Mules Stat Leaders
• Fairchild led the way on 2-5 hitting, with three RBI and two runs scored.
• Whalin was the only other Mule with multiple hits going 2-4 with a RBI.
• Janvrin finished 1-4 and scored two runs.
• Graff-Rowe was 1-5, with a run scored.
 
For the Bearcats
• Figg totaled two hits in five at bats, while scoring a run and notching two RBI.
• Both Bilodeau and Gutirrez went 2-4 with a two runs scored and a RBI.
• Hassman finished 1-2, with two RBI and two runs scored.
• Trevor Dudar picked up the win to improve to 2-0. He allowed two runs (both earned) on three hits in two innings pitched.
• Jose Heitpas got the start and worked 5.2 innings for NWMSU. He had a game-high 10 strikeouts.
 
Game Two - Northwest Missouri 8, Central Missouri 3
Play-by-Play
• The Bearcats scored the game's first runs with three in the bottom of the second. Aaro Barratt hit a solo home run to left center get the scoring started. After a pair of walks, Hud Bilodeau doubled down the left field line to score two runs and give NWMSU a 3-0 lead.
• NWMSU made it a 7-0 lead with four runs in the bottom of the third. Landon Figg led off with a home run. Luke Hassman singled to right center and was immediately driven home on a double by Kev Handzlik. Barratt then hit his second home of the game, this time down the left field line.
• Mason Janvrin and Erik Webb ended the drought for UCM in the fourth. Janvrin led off  with a single up the middle. He was plated home on Webb's double down the left field line to score the Mules first run.
• The Bearcats got the run back in the seventh. They loaded the bases twice and on the second setup Loga Rycraft was hit by pitch to advance the runners and bring in the run.
• UCM looked to mount a comeback in the ninth. Travis Able led off with a single up the middle. He did not wait long to come home thanks to a two-run homer by Collin Nevil. He sent the ball past center field on a 2-2 pitch for his second home run of the day.
• The Bearcats thwarted the Mules chances at a comeback. Cole Taylor singled up the middle after Micah Evans struck out swinging. Kade Burns then grounded into a double play as the Bearcats held on for the day one sweep.
 
Mules Stat Leaders
• Nevil led the way going 2-4, with two RBI and a run scored.
• Able also had two hits in four at bats, with a run scored.
• Both Janvrin and Webb finished 1-4. Janvrin had a run scored, while Webb had a RBI.
 
For the Bearcats
• Barratt had a day for NWMSU with two home runs in four at bats. He totaled three RBI and scored two runs.
• Bilodeau had the most hits finishing 3-4, with two RBI.
• Handzlik went 2-4, while scoring two runs and adding a RBI.
• Both Hassman and Figg had two hits. Hassman was 2-3 with a run scored, while Figg went 2-5 with both a run scored and a RBI.
• Brad Roberts pitched a complete game as he improved to 4-4. He struck out seven batters while allowing three runs (all earned) on eight hits.
 
News and Notes
• This is the just the second series the Mules have dropped this season, with both coming against MIAA opponents. They have now lost four of their last five road games.
• Nevil's two home runs on Thursday bring his season total to 10. He is now the team leader and the first Mule to eclipse double-digit homers this season. He has hit a home run in each of the last three games.
• UCM is now 144-70 all-time against the Bearcats and 8-4 against them under Kyle Crookes.
• The Mules 10 inning battle in game one is their first game to go into extra innings this season.
 
Up Next
• The series finale. The Mules and Bearcats will close out the series on Saturday, April 7. Game start is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Bearcat Field.