Mules Baseball Starts MIAA Season with Doubleheader Split

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CLAREMORE, Okla. (Feb. 27, 2021) - No. 3 Central Missouri Baseball started the MIAA portion of their schedule today with a doubleheader against Rogers State. The Mules took game one, but a big seventh inning for the Hillcats in game two gave them a win.

Game 1 - Central Missouri 5, Rogers State 2
How it Happened
• The Mules outhit Rogers 11-4.
• Both of Rogers State's runs came without needing a hit in the inning.
• Central Missouri pitchers struck out nine Hillcats while UCM only fanned once.
• The scoring started early as Cole Taylor's RBI single drove in Erik Webb. One batter later, Alex Madera followed up with an RBI single of his own and the Mules led 2-0 after one.
• A fielding error started the second for Rogers State and an RBI ground out cut the Mules lead in half, 2-1. 
• UCM got the run back in the third as Alex Madera's squeeze bunt brought in Harrison Schnurbusch.
• The Hilcats cut the lead down to one once again in the fifth. The inning started with a strikeout, but a wild pitch allowed the batter to reach first. After two ground outs moved the runner to third, another strikeout-wild pitch allowed the run to score instead of ending the inning.
• UCM tacked on runs in the seventh and eighth getting an RBI single from Erik Webb in the seventh and an RBI double from Dusty Stroup in the ninth.
• Chase Plymell pitched three scoreless innings to close out the 5-2 win. 

Mules Stat Leaders
• Mason Green didn't allow a hit in six innings of work. He needed just 73 pitches to navigate six innings with six strikeouts.
• Alex Madera drove in two runs and was 2-5 at the plate.
• Erik Webb went 2-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
• Scott Wolverton and Cole Taylor each picked up two hits.
• Chase Plymell pitched three scoreless innings to earn the save. 

For the Hillcats
• Jackson Simonsgaard started and lasted 6.1 innings allowing four runs on eight hits with three walks and a strikeout.
• Jerry Davis went 1-4 with a run scored.
• Brooks Betcher had the only Hillcat RBI. 

Game 2 - Rogers State 5, Central Missouri 3
How it Happened
• The Mules pounded out 12 hits, but left 10 runners on base. The Hillcats also stranded a bunch, nine, on their 10 hits. 
• With runners on base, the Mules were just 5-22. 
• A big error in the seventh allowed three unearned runs to score which proved to be the difference in the game.
• Each team struck out seven batters on the mound.
• Rogers State got the scoring started with a pair in the second. An RBI ground out and an RBi single plated two to put the Hillcats up 2-0.
• Alex Madera's two-out RBI double got UCM within one, 2-1 in the six ath Harrison Schnurbusch came around to score.
• The Mules tied it in the seventh on Erik Webb's RBI single that snuck through the left side of the infield.
• Rogers answered right away with a big seventh inning. With two outs, a fielding error allowed the inning to continue. The Hillcats loaded the bases for Jerry Davis who cleared the bases with a three-RBI triple to left center. 
• Central Missouri threatened in the ninth. Josh Schumacher doubled home Garrett Pennington and brought the tying run to the plate. RSU retired the next three hitters though, and held on for a 5-3 win.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Schumacher finished game two 3-5 with an RBI.
• Micah Evans also had three hits with a run scored.
• Alex Madera had a hit and two walks.
• Collin Jones pitched the first five innings allowing seven hits and two runs with three strikeouts.
• Hunter Little pitched 1.1 scoreless innings in relief.

For the Hillcats
• Brett Karalius flirted with disaster allowing 10 hits but just two runs in 6.1 innings. He struck out four.
• Christian Merriwether was 3-4 with a walk.
• Brandon Bradshaw went 2-3 with a run scored.
• Jerry Davis had the biggest hit, a three-run triple for his only hit of the afternoon. 

News and Notes
• Mason Green carried a no-hitter through six innings. He's now allowed just three hits in 15 innings pitched this season. He's allowed no more than two hits in any game he's started.
• Green also improved his career record to 13-0 at UCM. 
• This is the first MIAA loss for the Mules since 2019. They were 8-0 last year before the season ended.
• Contrarily, this is the Hillcats first ever MIAA win. They were 0-6 last year in their first year in the conference.
• With three hits, Erik Webb moves up to fifth all time with 262. 

Up Next
• The Mules will finish there series with the Hillcats tomorrow afternoon with a 1 p.m. first pitch.