PITTSBURG, Kan. (May 9, 2019) - Central Missouri Mules Baseball (35-13) used a late rally to comeback from a three-run deficit in their opening round game in the MIAA Tournament. The Mules got down three after the first two innings, but a pair of runs in the seventh gave UCM a 5-4 lead they never gave up to continue on in the winner's bracket.
Play-by-Play
• Things didn't start well for the Mules. A single and a throwing error in the first got the inning going for Missouri Western. They used a pair of productive outs to take a 2-0 lead before the Mules came to bat.
• Two more errors in the third led to another run for the Griffons. It could've been worse though, if not for a double-play to get out of the inning.
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Michael Sinks got the Mules on the board in the fourth. With two outs, he took a 3-2 single to center to plate
Alex Madera and make it a 3-1 game.
• Missouri Western got the run right back in the top of the fifth with a two-out RBI hit of their own.
• The clutch hitting continued for the Mules in the home half of the fifth. With
Donovan Ditto and
Zak Whalin on base, Madera's single to left made it a one-run game, 4-3.
• Both teams went down in order in the sixth, before the Mules added another two runs in the seventh.
• Again with two outs,
Mason Janvrin forced a throwing error as Ditto scored the tying run. Janvrin then stole second and scored as Madera gave the Mules their first lead with a two-out single to right center.
• The Griffons threatened in the eighth putting runners on first and second with one out.
Coby Seiz got a groundball to second though and the Mules turned two to get out of the jam unharmed.
• Missouri Western got the leadoff runner on in the ninth, and this time
Jonathan Sprinkle worked around the base runner to shut the door.
Mules Stat Leaders
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Alex Madera picked up three of the Mules eight hits. He drove in three runs and scored another.
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Donovan Ditto picked up a pair of hits and scored twice.
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Michael Sinks had two hits and an RBI.
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Mason Janvrin had a hit and a run with a stolen base.
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Ben Kelsch started and gave up four runs (two earned) on seven hits and struck out two.
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Coby Seiz got the win pitching 1.2 innings out of the bullpen, striking out three.
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Jonathan Sprinkle got the save with a scoreless ninth striking out two.
For the Griffons
• Casey Danley had three hits in five at bats with a run scored.
• Will Jibas came off the bench to pick up a pair of hits.
• Dusty Stroup drove in a pair and scored a run.
• Carson Dwyre started and pitched 4.2 innings giving up three runs on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts.
• Anthony Castaneda pitched the final 3.1 innings allowing two unearned runs with four strikeouts.
News and Notes
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Mason Janvrin upped his reached-base streak to 48 games this season and 60 straight dating back to last year with a single in the first.
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Erik Webb's reached base streak came to an end at 46 games with an 0-4 day.
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Jonathan Sprinkle's save was his eighth of the season and the 10th of his career. His eight saves in a season are tied for the eighth most in UCM history.
• All four Mules RBI came with two outs.
• The Griffons got the leadoff hitter on in five of the nine innings. They went just 3-18 though with runners on base.
Upcoming
• The Mules will take on the winner of Pittsburg State and Emporia State tomorrow at 7:30 p.m.
