Six-Run First Helps Mules Past Griffons

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (May 3, 2019) - Central Missouri Mules Baseball (33-12, 23-8 MIAA) picked up their seventh straight win Friday night, 10-3 over Missouri Western. The Mules jumped on the Griffons early and led from the first inning on to start their final series of the regular season.

Play-by-Play
• It was a fast start for the Mules who batted around in the first scoring six runs on six hits. Harrison Schnurbusch started the scoring with a single up the middle to bring home Alex Madera. 
• Two batters later, Cole Taylor drove in a pair with a double to right center as Schnurbusch and Erik Webb crossed the plate.
• Josh Schumacher and Zak Whalin followed with RBI hits and Donovan Ditto made it 6-0 scoring on a wild pitch.
• The scored stayed that way until the fourth when the Mules tacked on a run. UCM knocked three straight two-out hits, the last one a single from Schnurbusch to once again score Madera.
• That was all that Mules starter Ben Kelsch would need. He was scoreless through his first four innings, before hitting a rough-spot in the fifth. The first three batters all reached to start the inning, and a bases-clearing double scored three runs. 
• Webb got two of the three runs back in the sixth with a single as Whalin and Mason Janvrin came in.
• Janvrin got UCM to 10 in the seventh beating out an infield single as Schumacher came in to score.
• Kelsch got the first two outs in the ninth, but gave way to Bryce Kearns who recorded the final out.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Ben Kelsch was the star on the hill. He lasted 8.2 innings allowing three runs on eight hits with five strikeouts.
• Josh Schumacher went 3-4 with two runs scored. He also reached with a walk and drove in a run.
• Harrison Schnurbusch drove in two runs going 2-5.
• Cole Taylor went 1-5 with a double and two RBI.
• Erik Webb reached base four times with two hits, two hit-by-pitches, a run and an RBI.
• Zak Whalin drove in a run and scored one with two hits in five at bats.
• Alex Madera picked up two hits and scored twice.

For the Griffons
• Carson Dwyre got the start and lasted four innings allowing seven runs on nine hits with two strikeouts.
• Levi Abrahamson threw three scoreless innings in relief with three strikeouts.
• Fahd Shakeel had two hits and all three Griffon RBI.
• Brooks Day collected two hits.
• Zach Pych and Josh Robinson had a hit and a run scored.

News and Notes
• Erik Webb and Mason Janvrin extended their reached-base streaks. Janvrin's done it in all 45 games this season while Webb is one behind at 44.
• All nine Mules recorded at least one hit and eight scored a run.
• Josh Schumacher has at least two hits in eight straight games.
• 14 of the Mules 15 hits were singles. Cole Taylor's double in the first was the only extra-base hit.
• Ben Kelsch was one out away from his second consecutive complete game. 
• This is the Mules 10th straight game scoring at least seven runs. 

Up Next
• The Mules and Griffons will play tomorrow night at 7 p.m. Missouri Western will be charging a $5 admission for tomorrow's game only. All proceeds will be going to the Partridge Children Education Fund.