Mules Drop Rubber Game to Mountain Lions

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Feb. 10, 2019) - For the second straight day, Central Missouri battled back to tie, only to lose late to Colorado-Colorado Springs. This time, UCM took a lead in the sixth, but went scoreless over the final three frames as the Mountain Lions won the series with a 7-6 win Sunday afternoon, putting UCM at 2-4 this season.

How it Happened
• Central Missouri out-hit the Mountain Lions 8-6, but issued four more walks. 
• It was another sloppy game with five combined errors.
• UCM left six men on base while UCCS stranded seven.
• Things again got started in the first as the Mountain Lions had the first three reach base. They got the first two runs of the game on RBI ground outs.
• Central Missouri answered in the second with Zak Whalin scoring a run on a squeeze bunt and it was a 2-1 game.
• Colorado Springs scored in the first three innings, adding to their total with a Matt McDermott RBI double in the second and a run-scoring ground out in the third.
• The Mules clawed back getting two in the fifth and three in the sixth. Whalin led off the fifth getting hit by a pitch. Donovan Ditto moved him to third with a double down the left field line and Mason Janvrin got his first RBI of the day with a sacrifice fly to center. Ditto made it a 4-3 game, scampering home on Alex Madera's ground ball.
• UCM grabbed their first lead an inning later hanging a three-spot on the scoreboard. They loaded the bases with nobody out before Whalin knotted the game at four with a single. Ditto and Janvrin picked up an RBI each on productive outs and the Mules led for the first time, 6-4.
• That lead didn't last though as the Mountain Lions re-tied the game in the bottom half of the inning. Following a leadoff walk, McDermott hit the first pitch he saw down the left field line for an RBI double. Two batters later, two-out error allowed McDermott to cross the plate, tying the game at six.
• Evan Richards led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run for the Mountain Lions, giving them the lead back, 7-6.
• Central Missouri threatened in the ninth as Mason Janvrin led off with a single, but was left stranded at second base.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Cole Taylor was the only Mule to pick up multiple hits going 2-4 with a run scored.
• Zak Whalin drove in a pair going 1-2 and scored a run.
• Mason Janvrin also had two RBI finishing 1-4.
• Zack Ehlen walked twice and scored both times.
• Brady Gavin got the start and last two innings allowing four runs on two hits with a strikeout and four walks.
• Bryce Kearns toss four innings, allowing a run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts. 

For the Mountain Lions
• Daniel Silva started and lasted five innings allowing three runs on four hits with a walk and a strikeout.
• Dagin Renck got the win pitching 2.1 scoreless innings in relief with four strikeouts.
• Matt McDermott went 3-4 with a run and two RBI.
• Evan Richards hit the game-winning home run and was 2-4 with a run and two RBI.

News and Notes
• All three games in this series were decided by one run.
• Number nine hitter Matt McDermott was a thorn in the Mules side all weekend going 7-16 with four runs, four RBI, four doubles and a home run.
• The Mules had opportunities to score, leaving 20 men on base in three games.
• UCM has gotten a lot of mileage out of their bullpen, using at least five pitchers each day in Colorado.
• Erik Webb and Mason Janvrin have each run their hitting streaks to six to start the season. 

Up Next
• The Mules will be home next weekend, Feb. 15-17 for a three-game series against Northern Sun foe Minnesota-Crookston. Games are scheduled for 4 p.m., 2 p.m. and 1 p.m. at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field