Evans 8th Inning Home Run Wins it for the Mules

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 8, 2019) - Central Missouri Mules Baseball keeps rolling along. Facing the No. 1 pitching staff in the MIAA based on ERA, the Mules bested the Bronchos 4-2 in game one of their three-game set. The Mules move to 13-5 this season and 6-1 in the MIAA.

Play-by-Play
• Thing started quickly in the first inning for UCM. Mason Janvrin led off with a single. After a ground out and a walk put runner's at the corners, Erik Webb got into a run down trying to steal second. As the ball was being thrown around the infield, Janvrin broke for the plate and beat the throw home to score the game's first run.
• Two batters later, Michael Sinks came up with a two-out RBI single to score Webb and Mules starter Ben Kelsch had a 2-0 lead after one.
• Kelsch was on top of his game, throwing three perfect innings with five strikeouts.
• The Bronchos started to put runners on base in the middle innings. A leadoff double started the fourth, but Kelsch stranded the runner at third to keep the shutout in tact. 
• Kelsch kept it rolling getting ground ball double plays to end the fifth and sixth innings.
• The Bronchos got on the board in the seventh when Paul Kropf led off the inning with a long home run to left. They tied the game a few batters later when an unearned run scored on a wild pitch. 
• UCM took the lead right back though in the bottom half of the inning. Micah Evans led off the frame with a home run to left, breaking the 2-2 tie. The Mules got some insurance as Donovan Ditto singled and scampered home on a wild pitch.
• Central Oklahoma put a runner on in both the eighth and ninth innings, but Bryce Kearns and Jonathan Sprinkle shut the door for the 4-2 win.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Kelsch started and threw 6.1 innings allowing two runs (one earned) on just four hits with seven strikeouts.
• Kearns and Sprinkle each didn't allow a hit out of the bullpen with two strikeouts.
• Micah Evans was 1-3 with a home run.
• Mason Janvrin was 2-4 with a run scored and a stolen base.
• Erik Webb went 2-3 with a run.
• Harrison Schnurbusch stole two bases.

For the Bronchos
• Dylan Hall started and took the loss after throwing six innings and allowing three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and a walk.
• Dru Barrier was 2-4 with a double.
• Paul Kropf went 1-4 with a home run.
• Brayden Nelson threw a scoreless inning out of the bullpen with two strikeouts.

News and Notes
• This is already the sixth time this season UCM has given up four or fewer hits in a game.
• The 6.1 innings Ben Kelsch pitched was a season-high.
• UCM has won eight straight games. It's their longest streak since winning nine straight Feb. 9-27 last year.
• Jonathan Sprinkle earned his first save of the season.
• Central Missouri has scored four runs in three straight games.
• Central Oklahoma was 0-4 with runners in scoring position and 0-10 with runners on base.
• The Mules got the leadoff batter on base in four of the eight innings they took a turn at bat.

Up Next
• The Mules will continue their three-game series with the Bronchos tomorrow after at 2 p.m.