Mules Comeback, Fall in Extras

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (April 18, 2019) - It was a wild final few innings Thursday night at Crane Stadium. The Mules made a furious, seven-run comeback, only to see it all go for naught as Northwest Missouri scored the go-ahead run in extra innings and held on for an 11-10 win. The loss snaps the Mules winning streak at five games and puts them at 26-12, 17-8 in the MIAA.

Play-by-Play
• Things started out just fine for UCM. Mason Janvrin led off the home first with a home run, and Cole Taylor matched him with a long ball in the second. On the mound, Ben Kelsch got a double-play and faced the minimum through two innings with a 2-0 lead.
• Things quickly started to unravel after that. A Bearcat solo home run got them on the board and cut the lead in half to 2-1.
• They then added three more in the fourth, scoring on two RBI singles and had a runner cross the plate in the middle of a rundown, taking a 4-2 lead.
• Northwest extended their lead in the seventh with a two-out solo home run.
• Zak Whalin scored Cole Taylor in the bottom half of the inning, keeping UCM within striking distance at 5-3.
• The doors fell off in the eighth as the Bearcats sent eight to the plate and scored five runs. It looked like they had broken it open on a two-out three-run double, taking a 10-3 lead.
• UCM didn't go away though and scored four of their own in the eighth and three more in the ninth to tie.
• With the bases loaded, Michael Sinks knocked a two-RBI double down the left field line.
• A wild pitch scored the Mules third run of the inning and Sinks made it four when he scored on an RBI ground ball.
• After a 1-2-3 ninth inning, the Mules were right back to the plate. The inning started with an infield single before back-to-back strikeouts. 
• With two outs, the next five Mules all reached base to keep the line moving. Four of the five reached base with two strikes on them.
• Alex Madera hit a 2-2 pitch for an opposite field single and Erik Webb was hit with a 1-2 pitch to load the bases.
• On a 2-2 pitch, Harrison Schnurbusch went opposite field for a two-RBI single to right and the Mules trailed by a run, 10-9.
• Another walk reloaded the bases and Cole Taylor's ground ball into no-man's-land scored Webb with the tying run.
• Headed into extras, Jonathan Sprinkle got the first batter to hit a shallow fly ball to right, but it got lost in the lights and fell to the ground, going for a leadoff triple.
• Sprinkle struck out the next batter to face him, but a soft ground ball scored the go-ahead run.
• The Mules luck ran out in the 10th and Northwest held on for an 11-10 win.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Cole Taylor was 3-5 with a home run and three RBI.
• Mason Janvrin popped a home run for his only hit of the game. He also, walked, stole a base and scored two runs.
• Alex Madera finished 3-5 with a run scored.
• Harrison Schnurbusch and Michael Sinks each drove in two runs.
• Josh Schumacher came off the bench with two hits and scored a run.
• Ben Kelsch got the start and threw the first six innings giving up four runs on eight hits with two strikeouts.

For the Bearcats
• Derek Hussey, the nine-hole hitter was 3-4 with a home run and four RBI.
• Alixon Herrera collected four hits in five at bats and scored three times.
• Peter Carlson and Calvin Rudolph each had two hits apiece. 
• Max Spitzmiller started and threw the first 6.1 innings. He gave up three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts.
• Aaron Easley earned the save with a 1-2-3 10th inning. 

News and Notes
• This is just the second time all season the Mules have lost a game when scoring in the first inning.
• Mason Janvrin extended his on-base streak to 38 games with his first inning home run.
• Erik Webb had to wait a bit longer to extend his to 37. Webb was 0-3 but drew a walk in the ninth inning to get on.
• Josh Schumacher picked up two hits in his first action since March 1st.
• This is the ninth game this season the Mules did not commit and error, but the first they have lost.
• Five of the Mules nine RBI came with two outs. 
• The last time a Mule hit a first-inning leadoff home run was Matt Elliott, May 23, 2016 against Arkansas-Monticello. Elliott hit four leadoff home runs that season, three in the postseason. 

Up Next
• The Mules will look to rebound with game two of the series tomorrow afternoon starting at 4 p.m.