JOPLIN, Mo. (April 5, 2019) - Central Missouri Mules Baseball (21-10, 13-6 MIAA) began a series with the MIAA leading Missouri Southern Lions Friday night. The Mules bats were quiet at the start of the game, but came alive late in a 4-2 win over the No. 12 Lions.
Play-by-Play
• Neither team was able to cross the plate in the early going. Central Missouri had a chance in the third to get on the board first with runners on second and third and one out, but a pop out and a ground out ended the Mules threat.
• Missouri Southern broke through against Mules starter
Ben Kelsch in the fourth. Three of the first four batters of the inning doubled and two runs scored.Â
• With a runner on second and one out, Mules Coach
Kyle Crookes knew he couldn't afford to let the inning get away from him, so he brought in closer Johnathan Sprinkle out of the bullpen.
• Sprinkle limited the damage in the fourth and then proceeded to set the Lions down in order in the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings as well.
• While Sprinkle was doing his thing on the mound, the Mules bats woke up in the sixth.
Mason Janvrin reached base on a fielding error to lead off the inning and scored on an RBI ground out from
Harrison Schnurbusch.
• An inning later, it was another productive out, a
Dalton Dull sacrifice fly that tied the game at two.
Micah Evans singled to lead off the frame, took second on a balk and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt before coming in with the tying run.
• The Mules first RBI hit came from Janvrin in the eighth. He got all of an 0-1 pitch and pulled it over the field in left for a solo home run, giving the Mules their first lead, 3-2.
• Looking for an insurance run in the ninth,
Cole Taylor plated Evans with a two-out single down the right field line, putting UCM up a pair, 4-2.
• Sprinkle made quick work of the first two batters to face him in the ninth, but after issuing back-to-back walks,
Luke Mercer came in to shut the door with a strikeout for a one-out save.
Mules Stat Leaders
•
Jonathan Sprinkle pitched 5.1 innings out of the bullpen giving up no hits, no runs and striking out nine.
•
Ben Kelsch started and threw 3.1 innings giving up two runs on four hits with a strikeout.
•
Mason Janvrin had two hits and two runs with the go-ahead home run.
•
Micah Evans was 1-2 with a stolen base and two runs scored.
•
Dalton Dull and
Cole Taylor had an RBI each.
For the Lions
• Zach Parish started and lasted seven innings giving up two runs (one earned) on four hits with three strikeouts.
• Troy Gagnon was 1-4 with a run scored.
• Matt Miller reached base three times with a hit and two walks while also driving in and scoring a run.Â
News and Notes
• It was a career day for
Jonathan Sprinkle as both his 5.1 innings and nine strikeouts were career highs.
• The home run was the first for
Mason Janvrin this season. He also extended his reached base streak to 31 games this season 43 games dating back to last year.
• Also extending his reached base streak was
Erik Webb who is now at 30 games after a base hit in the eighth inning.
•
Luke Mercer only needed one out to notch his 11th career save and move into a tie for 10th all-time at UCM.
•
Ben Kelsch pitched career inning number 150.
Up Next
• Game two of the series takes place tomorrow afternoon with a 1 p.m. first pitch.
