BOLIVAR, Mo. (March 16, 2019) - Central Missouri Mules Baseball built a seven-run lead Saturday afternoon in Bolivar, Mo. and needed every one of those runs in their 9-8 win over Southwest Baptist. The win evens the weekend series at 1-1 and moves the Mules to 15-8 this season, 7-4 in the MIAA.

Play-by-Play
• The Mules built an early lead, scoring four runs in the second. Zak Whalin's bunt single got the scoring started as Micah Evans came in to score. Mason Janvrin had the biggest hit of the inning, a two-RBI single to right and Erik Webb made it 4-0 with a sacrifice fly to bring in Cole Hoover.
• Whalin made it a 6-0 game with a two-out, two-run home run to left center in the third. 
• The Bearcats got a run in each of the thrid and fourth innings. The Mules kept tacking on with runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. Alex Madera, Cole Hoover and Webb each had RBI's. Mason Janvrin scored the Mules ninth run on a short pop up caught by the second baseman.
• That was when the Mules bats went cold and the Bearcats woke up. They scored two runs in each of the final three innings as they dug into the Mules lead. A walk and a wild pitch in the seventh made it 9-4. They cut it to three in the eighth again without a run scoring hit with a sacrifice fly and another run-scoring walk. 
• Jonathan Sprinkle got the final out in the eighth and came back out for the ninth up 9-6. The first four batters all reached base as they cut the lead down to one, 9-8. SBU loaded the bases with one out, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the game for the Mules.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Mason Green started and got the win for UCM. He went 5.1 innings allowing two runs on six hits with two walks and seven strikeouts.
• Sprinkle picked up the save getting the final four outs.
• Zak Whalin had a big day at the plate going 4-5 with three RBI.
• Erik Webb was 2-2 with two RBI.
• Mason Janvrin reached base four times with three hits, two runs and two RBI.
• Donovan Ditto collected two hits in three at bats and scored twice.

For the Bearcats
• Caleb Sneed drove in three runs on two hits and scored two runs.
• Hunter Hisky was 2-4 with a run and an RBI.
• Luke Winfrey had two hits and two runs scored.
• Dalton Morrow started and went five innings allowing eight runs (six earned) on 11 hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
• Parker Dent pitched three innings out of the bullpen giving up a run on three hits.

News and Notes
• Erik Webb extended his hitting streak to 22 games with hit in the first.
• The Mules did not commit an error defensively.
• Sprinkle picks up his second save of the season. He struck out all four batters he faced.
• Zak Whalin makes it three straight games someone collected four hits. Michael Sinks and Alex Madera were the first two.
• Mason Green picked up his fourth win in his last five starts. 
• UCM's 16 hits are their second most in a game this season.

Up Next
• The Mules look to take the series tomorrow afternoon with a 1 p.m. start.