Baseball Finishes Off Sweep of Rogers State

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (March 1, 2020) - Central Missouri Mules Baseball brought the offense out Sunday afternoon as they completed a three-game sweep of Rogers State. The Mules won 14-4 in eight innings and not only brought the bats, but got strong performances from the bullpen as well.

How it Happened
• The Mules scored 14 runs on 14 hits while holding the Hillcats to four runs on four hits.
• UCM powered up with eight of their 14 hits going for extra bases including three home runs.
• The game didn't start too hot for UCM though. Rogers State took a 3-0 lead three batters into the game thanks to a Nick Follett three-run home run.
• That lead didn't even last an inning though as the Mules responded right away with three of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Harrison Schnurbusch plated two runs with a single and Cole Taylor's safety squeeze tied the game at three.
• Rogers State got the lead back with an RBI double in the second and that was all the scoring for the Hillcats.
• Central Missouri took their first lead in the third with another three-run inning. Dusty Stroup started it with a home run to left center, tying the game at four. Taylor then picked up his second RBI of the game with a double and Brennan vanBreusegen's RBI ground out made it 6-4.
• UCM tacked on individual runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth. Schnurbusch, Cole Christman and Taylor all had RBI's. Taylor's was a leadoff homer in the sixth.
• The Mules put the Hillcats away with three in the seventh and two in the eighth. Josh Schumacher, Stroup and MIchael Sinks all had RBI hits. Cole Chirstman then ended the game early with a two-run home run in the eighth for a 14-4 lead.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Harrison Schnurbusch had three hits and drove in three runs with a triple.
• Cole Taylor homered and drove in three runs.
• Cole Christman was 2-4 with a home run and two RBI.
• Dusty Stroup went 2-4 with a home run, three runs and two RBI.
• Collin Jones started and went the first three innings. He allowed four runs on four hits with two strikeouts.
• Tyler Kuhlmann pitched three hitless innings striking out four to earn the win.
• Coby Seiz and Max Abramovich each pitched clean innings.

For the Hillcats
• Nick Follett was 1-3 with three RBI.
• Christian Merriwether went 1-3 with a run scored and an RBI.
• Corey Murphy gave up seven runs in three innings.

News and Notes
• The Mules have now won eight straight games.
• Dusty Stroup improved his hitting streak to 12 games.
• Eight of the nine hitters in the Mules lineup had at least one hit.
• The Mules bullpen didn't allow a hit or a run in the final five innings. 
• UCM has picked up back-to-back weekend sweeps.
• This was the Mules first MIAA series of the season which puts them at 3-0 in the league. 

Up Next
• The Mules wrap up their 15-game homestand with an individual game Tuesday, March 3 against Drury. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m.