WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Feb. 13, 2019) - Behind terrific starting pitching and some offense fireworks, Central Missouri Mules Baseball took the series opener 12-5 against Minnesota Crookston Wednesday afternoon at Crane Stadium. UCM picked up their third win of the season and pull to within a game of .500.
How it Happened
• The Mules pounded out 14 hits and 12 runs.
• Central Missouri scored in each of their final five turns at bat.
• UCM worked their way out of jams as Minnesota Crookston left nine men on base.
• Central Missouri was being no-hit through the first three innings as UMC starter Zach Rustad seemed to be on top of his game. The Golden Eagles gave him a lead in the fourth inning when Reed Hjelle opened the inning with a towering solo home run to left.
• The lead didn't last long as UCM was able to put three on the board in the bottom half of the inning.
Alex Madera got the Mules first hit, a double, then stole third and scored when the throw from the catcher went into left field, tying the game.
Kole Ficken's two-out, two-RBI double gave UCM a 3-1.
• One inning later, the Mules were back at it again scoring three more runs. The first three batters all reached base and
Mason Janvrin's single scored
Micah Evans and
Zak Whalin. Janvrin then came around to score, making it 6-1 on a sacrifice fly from
Erik Webb.
• The Golden Eagles cut the lead in half scoring two in the sixth. With two outs, Griffin Fussy plated a pair with a single to left. Two more two-out RBIs in the seventh made it a 7-5 ball game.
• The Mules though kept putting runs on the board.
Micah Evans drove one home in the sixth with a double and an infield single and sacrifice fly gave the Mules another four-run lead, 9-5.
• Central Missouri put the exclamation point on the afternoon with back-to-back home runs to lead off the eighth from
Dalton Dull and
Micah Evans.
Michael Sinks drove in Janvrin as the Mules were comfortably ahead 12-5.
• Minnesota Crookston got two on with one out in the ninth, but
Conner Gremer ended the game with a strikeout and a foul pop out.
Mules Stat Leaders
•
Collin Jones started and earned the win for UCM pitching five innings allowing one run on four hits with five strikeouts throwing just 77 pitches.
•
Coby Seiz worked 1.2 innings out of the bullpen without allowing a run.
Conner Gremer also kept a clean sheet.
•
Micah Evans had a big day at the plate going 3-4 with a double, home run, two RBI and two runs scored.
•
Dalton Dull also went yard as a part of his 1-4 day.
•
Mason Janvrin and
Michael Sinks each picked up two hits. Janvrin also scored three times and stole two bases.
•
Zak Whalin was 2-4 with two runs scored.
For the Golden Eagles
• Reed Hjelle went 3-4 with a home run, RBI and two runs scored.
• Zach Rustad started and lasted five innings giving up six runs on seven hits.
• Bryce Jorgenson had a single, double, two stolen bases and a run scored.
• Griffin Fussy reached base twice with a hit and a walk and drove in a pair.
News and Notes
• The 12 runs and 14 hits are season highs for the Mules.
• Jones' five innings pitched are the most for the Mules this season.
• Both
Mason Janvrin and
Erik Webb kept up their hitting streaks to start the season, which now stand at seven games.
• Central Missouri has faced Minnesota Crookston three times in their history and has scored 10+ runs each time.
• The Mules did not strikeout a single time this afternoon. The last time that happened was Feb. 25, 2018 against Missouri Western.
• UCM was swinging early at the plate, seeing a total of just 119 pitches for the game, an average of 14.9 pitches per inning.
•
Coby Seiz struck out the side on nine strikes in the seventh.
Up Next
• The Mules will wrap up the series with a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon starting at 10 a.m.
