Mules Split Home Opening Doubleheader with No. 23 Panthers

WARRENSBURG, Mo. (Feb. 22, 2021) - Central Missouri played for the first time in three weeks, welcoming No. 23 Davenport to Crane Stadium. In the top-25 matchup, the team's split with the Mules taking game one 9-1 and the Panthers holding on for a win in game two, 6-5.

Game 1 - Central Missouri 9, Davenport 1
How it Happened
• The Mules scored early and late, getting a run in each of the first two innings and then putting the game away with two in the seventh and four in the eighth.
• UCM got outstanding pitching, needing only 115 pitches to complete nine innings. Mule pitchers struck out eight and didn't walk a batter.
• The Panthers put together only five hits, but three were for extra bases with two doubles and a home run.
• UCM opened the scoring when Dusty Stroup's two-out single brought home Cole Moore for a 1-0 lead. 
• The Mules tacked on scoring runs without the benefit of a hit. Micah Evans brought in a run on a ground ball in the second and Garrett Pennington was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth.
• Davenport's only run came on a solo home run from Hunter Ruhstorfer leading off the sixth making it a 3-1 game.
• The Mules put the game away scoring two in the seventh with two-out RBI hits from Pennington and Alex Madera.
• A Cole Taylor pop fly that was misread in center allowed two runs to score in the eighth. That also kept the inning alive for another Pennington RBI and the Mules put up a four spot in the inning.
• Tyler Kuhlmann closed out the game with two scoreless innings. 

Mules Stat Leaders
• Mason Green got the start and threw five innings allowing just two hits and no runs while striking out two.
• Derek Beauchamp and Tyler Kuhlmann each struck out three in two innings out of the bullpen.
• Garrett Pennington collected two hits with three RBI.
• Cole Taylor reached base three times with a hit and two hit-by-pitches. He drove in two runs.
• Alex Madera and Dusty Stroup each had two hits and an RBI.
• Erik Webb doubled and scored twice.

For the Panthers
• Hunter Ruhstorfer homered for the Panthers only run.
• Nolan Bryant and Ben Mets each picked up two hits.
• James Kohl allowed a run on one hit with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings.
• Dalton O'Boyle started and threw 2.2 innings allowing four hits and two runs.

Game Two - Davenport - 6, Central Missouri 5
How it Happened
• Each team knocked eight hits, but UCM wasn't as sharp on the mound as game one walking five.
• Davenport allowed two unearned runs while UCM allowed one unearned run.
• Central Missouri left eight men on base and made four outs on the basepaths.
• With two outs, Alex Madera's would-be inning-ending out at first pulled Cole Taylor off the bag and allowed the first run of the game to score for Davenport in the second.
• UCM got the run right back in the home half of the inning. It was Madera himself with an RBI ground out to tie the game at one. 
• Davenport retook the lead with an RBI ground out of their own for a 2-1 lead.
• And again the Mules responded. Gaven Strobel ripped the first pitch of the inning over the left center field fence to tie the game at two.
• UCM wasn't finished though loading the bases with nobody out. Dusty Stroup beat the right fielder for an opposite field double which brought home Brennan vanBreusegen, but Micah Evans was thrown out at the plate. Garrett Pennington picked up another RBI with a ground out to short allowing Erik Webb to score.
• The lead didn't last long. Davenport scored four in the top half of the fourth. With two outs, a pop fly fell between Madera and vanBreusegen to allow a run to score and the inning to continue. Two batters later, Nolan Anspaugh put the Panthers up, 6-4, with a three-run homer to left.
• The score stayed that way until the eighth. Pennington led off the inning with a double, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a throwing error by the catcher getting the Mules within one, 6-5. Back-to-back walks put the tying-run in scoring position, but vanBreusegen went down swinging on a 3-2 slider to end the threat.
• Davenport threatened to add to their lead in the ninth. They loaded the bases with one out, but Chase Plymell worked out the jam with a strikeout and a ground out to end the inning.
• Micah Evans led off the bottom of the ninth taking the first pitch he saw off his back to put the tying run on base. He advanced to third but strikeouts by Stroup and Pennington ended the game with him stranded 90 feet away.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Micah Evans finished 2-3 and was hit by two pitches. He also stole two bases.
• Erik Webb collected a pair of hits and scored a run.
• Gaven Strobel had a home run and walked twice.
• Collin Jones started and allowed six runs, five earned on six hits with four strikeouts in four innings.
• Matthew Gatewood and Hunter Little each threw two hitless innings with two strikeouts. 

For the Panthers
• James Rogers tossed the first five innings for the win. He allowed four runs, three earned with two strikeouts.
• Cal Djuraskovic got the save with two strikeouts in a scoreless ninth inning.
• Nolan Anspaugh finished 3-5 with a home run, two runs and three RBI.
• Gaetano Vallone picked up a pair of hits and scored a run.

News and Notes
• Garrett Pennington drove in four runs in two games.
• The Mules drew 12 walks in two games. They had three in four games in Houston.
• With a win in game one, Mason Green's career record now improves to 12-0. 
• UCM stole six bases in two games.
• These are the first ever games played between these two teams.
• Game two saw the first scoreless first inning of the season. It snapped a streak of five straight games with a run in the first. 
• Game one was the first win for the Mules this season where they did not trail at any point. 

Up Next
• The series finale is set for tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m.