WARRENSBURG, Mo. (May 16, 2019) - Central Missouri (39-14) kicked the door down in their start to the NCAA postseason. UCM scored in four of the first five innings and Ben Kelsch threw a gem to lead the Mules to an 8-1 win over Missouri Southern.

Play-by-Play
• Kelsch wasn't on top of his game to start, needing 43 pitches to get through two innings. He really settled down though, throwing just 77 for the final seven. 
• Kelsch worked around a one-out base runner to strike out the side in the first. That was the only time he pitched without the lead.
• The Mules struck first as Mason Janvrin beat out an infield single to second. He scored all the way from first one pitch later when Alex Madera doubled to center.
• In the second Janvrin was in the middle of the action again. Donovan Ditto was hit by a pitch and Zak Whalin walked. A ground ball moved them up and Janvrin drove them both in with a double over the third-base bag.
• The Mules opened the third with back-to-back hits from Erik Webb and Harrison Schnurbusch. Two batters later Josh Schumacher drove in the fourth run with a single through the left side of the infield.
• Missouri Southern scored their only run in the fourth inning. With one out, Matt Miller just snuck one inside the left field foul pole for a solo home run.
• The Mules broke it open in the fifth scoring four runs on six hits. Alex Madera led off with a walk and with one out, Harrison Schnurbusch started a streak of five straight Mules hits. 
• Michael Sinks drove in a run with a single to left before Josh Schumacher's double made it a 6-1 game. 
• Donovan Ditto greeted the Lions new pitcher with a first pitch two RBI single back up the middle, giving UCM an 8-1 lead.
• Neither team had more than one runner on base the rest of the way as the Mules took game one in the NCAA postseason.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Ben Kelsch sprinkled six hits in nine innings, allowing just a solo home run. He struck out eight and walked one.
• Mason Janvrin collected three hits in five at bats. He scored a run and drove in two with a double.
• Donovan Ditto reached three times with two hits and a hit-by-pitch. He drove in two and scored once.
• Josh Schumacher doubled and knocked in a pair of runs, finishing 2-4.
• Harrison Schurbucsh had two hits in four at bats with two runs scored.
• Michael Sinks had a hit, run scored and an RBI.
• Alex Madera doubled, drove in a run and scored.

For the Lions
• Matt Miller was responsible for the Lions only run with a solo home run to lead off the fourth.
• Ryan Hunter had two hits in three at bats.
• Zach Parish started and lasted 4.1 innings allowing eight runs on 10 hits.
• Brennon Covington pitched three scoreless innings in relief.

News and Notes
• This was the sixth time the Mules and Lions have met this season. UCM is 4-2 against MSSU.
• This was the first game of the six that was decided by more than two runs.
• Mason Janvrin extends his reached base streak to 53 games this season and 65 over the last two years. He also moved his hitting streak to 18 games and is within four hits of 100 for the season.
• All nine batters in the Mules lineup picked up a hit.
• The Mules scored all eight runs in the first five innings.
• Ben Kelsch's eight strikeouts are a season high. It is also his second complete game of the season. He went over 200 career innings pitched in the game.
• All eight runs came against Zach Parish, the MIAA Pitcher of the Year.

Up Next
• The Mules will face either No. 3 St. Cloud State or No. 6 Central Oklahoma in a winner's bracket game tomorrow afternoon at 12 p.m. The winner of that game will advance to Saturday's sub-regional final.