WARRENSBURG, Mo. (November 26, 2019) - Central Missouri Mules Baseball and the UCM Athletic Department are proud to announce the 2020 class to be inducted into the Mules Baseball Diamond Club. 
 
At the fourth annual First Pitch Banquet, the 1994 Mules Baseball National Championship Team will be honored for their lasting legacy with the program. The 1994 team, which won the first of Central Missouri's two national titles in Division II Baseball, included:
Coaching Staff: Head Coach Dave Van Horn, Assistant Coach Tom Frank, and Graduate Assistant Coach Sam Berg
Players: Ben Austene, Morgan Burkhart, Casey Castrop, Craig Chasteen, Brad Crede, Jeff Curley, Dan Daugherity, Glenn Duckett, Neil Feldewerth, Curt Hassler, Jason Howser, Daryl Jefferies, Rick Ladjevich, Ed Lunders, Shea O'Rourke, Ryan Oden, Brad Plackemeier, Bob Poisal, George Shrum, Ben Slemmer, James Smith, Mark Somogye, Eric Stuckenschneider, Ryan Toben, Brooks Welner, Chris Whitaker, Jason Young.

The 2020 event marks the fourth annual First Pitch Banquet for the Mules Baseball program. It will be hosted in the Elliott Student Union Ballroom at 6 p.m. on the campus of the University of Central Missouri on Saturday, January 18. The event will begin with a silent auction and cocktail hour one hour before the formal program begins. Registration is now available at the link above. 

The 1994 Mules baseball team made history by becoming only the second squad from a school outside the states of Alabama, California, Florida or Georgia to win the NCAA Division II crown and they did it by beating seven-time national champion Florida Southern 14-9 in the title game.

To get to Montgomery, Ala., for the Division II championship, CMSU first had to come back through the loser's bracket to win the MIAA Tournament, then captured the NCAA Central Regional on its home field.

At Montgomery, CMSU won its first two games, 9-6 over the University of California-Riverside and 8-7 over Armstrong State College, before losing 10-3 to Delta State University. In an elimination game the next night, the Mules returned the favor and beat Delta State 8-2. In the title game against Florida Southern, CMSU fell behind 4-0 after three innings and still trailed 6-2 after five innings, but a six-run sixth inning put the Mules ahead for the first time. The Moccasins came back to tie the game 8-8 going to the ninth inning. A bases-loaded double by Morgan Burkhart highlighted the Mules' six-run ninth inning that gave them an insurmountable lead and three outs later they claimed the championship.

Named to the Division II Championship All-Tournament Team for CMSU were outfielder Ed Lunders, who was five-for-five in the title game, second baseman Glenn Duckett, who hit .389 in the Mules' five tournament games, and outfielder Eric Stuckenschneider, who drove in a team-high seven runs.

The team's post-season accolades included the Division II Player of the Year award for third baseman Rick Ladjevich and the Division II Coach of the Year award for Dave Van Horn. First-Team All-American recognition for Ladjevich and Stuckenschneider and Second-Team All-American honors for pitcher Bob Poisal. In producing a 51-11 record, the 1994 Mules established 23 individual school records, 21 team records, 18 individual MIAA records and 19 conference team records.

For those looking to register, please do so at the link above. There are many levels of participation to choose from, each with its own tokens of our appreciation, including team apparel, drink tickets and prominent recognition in the First Pitch Banquet souvenir program. For more information on registering, sponsorship levels, and more, please contact: Jeff Mason, jmason@ucmo.edu, 660-543-4454

For attendees traveling to this year's event, UCM Athletics has arranged a block of rooms at local hotels in Warrensburg. For additional assistance, please contact: Michelle Schubert, schubert@ucmo.edu, 660-543-8396
Fairfield Inn: BOOK HERE by December 17, 2019
355 East Russell Avenue Warrensburg, Missouri 64093
660-422-3540
 
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Warrensburg North: Book Here
1005 Hawthorne Blvd , Warrensburg, Missouri 64093
660-656-2020
 
Comfort Inn – To book, please call (660) 429-4848
609 E Russell Ave, Warrensburg, MO 64093