WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Feb. 22, 2020) - Central Missouri completed a three-game sweep of Concordia-St. Paul Saturday afternoon and did so by playing a little long ball. The Mules hit four home runs in the 7-0 win to improve to 11-3 on the season.
How it Happened
• The Mules picked up 11 hits to the Golden Bears three.
• UCM pitchers struck out nine and walked three. CSP fanned three Mules while issuing four free-passes.
• The Mules used a bullpen day, getting seven pitchers some work.
• Concordia's best chance to score was in the first. They got two men on with a leadoff single and two-out walk.
Collin Jones got a ground ball to escape the jam.
• Central Missouri scored first in the second.
Dusty Stroup created the run by himself. He led off with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a passed ball.
• The Mules second run also came without an RBI.
Alex Madera led off the fourth with a single. He stole second and moved to third on a ground ball. Madera then faked down the third base line and caused a balk by the Golden Bears pitcher and UCM led 2-0.
• Then the home run barrage started. Stroup started it with a leadoff homer to left in the fifth. That was the first of three home runs in the inning. Two batters later,
Harrison Schnurbusch made it 5-0 with a two-run shot and Cole Chirstman capped the inning with a solo blast.
• Two innings later,
Cole Taylor got in on the action. He cut one through the teeth of the wind over the field in right to start the seventh and put the Mules up 7-0.
• UCM's bullpen kept the Golden Bears off the scoreboard pitching six shutout innings and allowing just two hits with six strikeouts.
Mules Stat Leaders
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Dusty Stroup had three hits in four trips to the plate. He doubled twice and homered, scored two runs and drove in one.
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Harrison Schnurbusch homered and drove in two runs.
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Cole Taylor reached base four times with two hits and two walks. He homered and scored twice.
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Cole Christman was 1-4 with a home run.
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Josh Schumacher picked up two hits.
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Collin Jones started and went the first three innings in a predetermined start. He struck out three and allowed a hit and a walk.
•
Evan Reifert and
Jonathan Sprinkle each struck out two in an inning of work.
For the Golden Bears
• Griffin Lapp allowed four runs in four innings starting for Concordia.
• Matt Pietsch reached base twice with a pair of walks.
• Jack Becker picked up a pinch hit single.
• Jarod Wandersee and Shea Pekarek were each 1-3.
News and Notes
• The Mules brought the bats in the series scoring 34 runs on 42 hits in just 20 trips to the plate. They hit .429 for the series with a collective .491 on-base percentage.
• UCM starters also had a brilliant series. The Mules allowed just one run in 23 innings for a 0.39 ERA with 25 strikeouts.
• Let's not forget the defense as the Mules didn't commit an error in three games.
• Mules head coach
Kyle Crookes surpassed 200 career wins.
• In 20 innings, the Mules put the leadoff hitting on in 14.
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Dusty Stroup and
Harrison Schnurbusch were both 6-10 in the series. Schnurbusch drove in five runs while Stroup had four extra-base hits.
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Collin Jones reached 100 career strikeouts.
• This is the Mules first three-game sweep of the season. They have now won five straight.
• UCM entered the game with five home runs on the season before hitting four today.
Up Next
• Next is the start of MIAA play. The Mules will be home for a three-game set with MIAA newcomers Rogers State next Friday-Sunday Feb. 28-March 1.
