HOUSTON, Texas (Feb. 1, 2019) - Central Missouri opened the 2019 season playing in the seventh annual Houston Winter Invitational. The Mules fell to St. Mary's by a score of 12-5.
How it Happened
• St. Mary's picked up 11 hits to the Mules six and took advantage of three Mules fielding errors.
• The Rattlers did damage with two outs going 5-14 and driving in five two-out RBI while the Mules were just 1-10 with two outs.
• The game started with the Rattlers scoring five unearned runs in the top of the first inning. The first two batters walked and a throwing error led to two runners scoring. It looks like that might be all the scoring in the inning, but back-to-back RBI hits left a five-spot on the scoreboard.
• St. Mary's made it a 7-0 game with long solo home runs in both the second and third innings.
• UCM got on the board in the bottom of the third with a home run of their own.
Erik Webb lifted a deep fly over the left field fence to score two.
• The Mules got to within four, 7-3 on
Donovan Ditto's RBI ground out following
Kole Ficken and
Zak Whalin walks. That's as close as UCM came though.
• The Rattlers added to their lead scoring a run in the fifth inning and four more in the seventh.
•
Alex Madera and Webb each knocked in a run in the ninth to get us to our 12-5 final.
Mules Stat Leaders
•
Erik Webb went 1-4 with a home run, run scored and three RBI.
•
Donovan Ditto picked up two hits with an RBI and run scored.
•
Mason Janvrin reached base three times with two walks and a double. He scored a run and stole a base.
• Tyler Kuhlman and
Tyler Hasper each pitched scoreless innings in relief. Hasper struck out two.
For the Rattlers
• Johnny Hernandez went 4-5 with two doubles and a home run. He drove in four while scoring three.
• Donnie Perez and Mitchell Cakey each hit solo home runs.
• Zach de la Garza started and got the win throwing five innings allowing three runs on three hits with four strikeouts.
• Levi Hon earned a four inning save allowing two runs on three hits with six strikeouts.
News and Notes
• Eight different Mules made their UCM debuts in the game.
• The Mules and Rattlers also met on opening day last year with UCM victorious, 8-3.
• Central Missouri used seven different pitchers in the game.
Ben Kelsch and
Max Abramovich lasted the longest, tossing two innings each.
Up Next
• Central Missouri plays tomorrow afternoon at 1:30 p.m. taking on No. 6 ranked Texas A&M-Kingsville.
