WARRENSBURG, Mo. (April 24, 2021) - On an afternoon that saw the University of Central Missouri officially break ground on the Crane Stadium Expansion Project, Mules Baseball team put on a show in the current iteration of Crane Stadium. The Mules swept a doubleheader from Northwest Missouri 8-4 and 12-2 (7) to improve to 29-4 on the season, 25-1 in the MIAA.

Game 1 - Central Missouri 8, Northwest Missouri 4
How it Happened
• For the first four innings, the Mules matched exactly what the Bearcats did before breaking out in the fifth.
• UCM outhit the Bearcats 10-7.
• Northwest stranded six runners on base and struck out 16 times.
• Half of the Mules hits went for extra bases.
• A two-out RBI single in the top of the second put the Bearcats in front 1-0.
• UCM answered as Alex Madera beat out an infield single allowing Micah Evans to score the tying run.
• Mason Green got the first two out in the third, but allowed a two-out single followed by a home run as NWMSU retook the lead 3-1.
• Scott Wolverton started the home half of the third with a long home run to left to cut the lead in half. Cole Taylor then drove in Josh Schumacher with a sacrifice fly, tying the game.
• Each team traded solo home runs in the fourth. The Bearcats did it leading off the inning, and Donovan Ditto hit his with two outs and the bases empty and after four we were all tied up at four.
• That's when the Mules stepped on the gas. In the fifth, Taylor drove a ball off the left center field fence for a two-out, two-run double giving the Mules their first lead 6-4.
• Erik Webb with another two-out RBI scored Scott Wolverton with a first-pitch double down the left field line.
• Northwest brought the tying run to the plate in the top of the eighth, but Wolverton ended the inning throwing out a runner attempting to steal third.
• Harrison Schnurbusch capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly in the eighth after Alex Madera led off with a triple.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Mason Green started and threw six innings allowing four runs on six hits with 11 strikeouts.
• Cole Taylor doubled and drove in three runs.
• Scott Wolverton was 2-4 with a home run and two RBI.
• Alex Madera tripled as one of his two hits. He also scored a run and drove in one.
• Erik Webb had a hit and an RBI.
• Tyler Kuhlmann and Chase Plymell tossed three scoreless innings in relief. Plymell struck out the side in the ninth. 

For the Bearcats
• Ryan Koski homered and drove in two runs.
• Peter Carlson was 3-4 with a home run and two runs scored.
• Colton Thomas singled and drove in a run.
• Zach Wiese pitched 7.2 innings allowing eight runs, six earned) with two walks and a strikeout.

Game Two - Central Missouri 12, Northwest Missouri 2 (Seven Innings)
How it Happened
• Central Missouri scored in five of the seven innings they took a turn at bat including the last four. 
• UCM scored 12 runs on nine hits and outhit the Bearcats 9-4.
• The Mules struck out only once and walked five times.
• For the second straight game Northwest scored first. They got the first run on the board on an error that allowed a run to score from second base.
• The Mules though took the lead with two in the bottom of the inning. Dusty Stroup hit a ground rule double scoring Josh Schumacher. He came in to score on Micah Evans' sacrifice fly after taking third on a wild pitch.
• Another error, this time in the third, allowed the Bearcats to tie the game. An error put runners on the corners for NWMSU who took advantage with a single up the middle tying the game at two.
• The score wasn't tied for long. In the fourth, Alex Madera untied it with a two-RBI single. Donovan Ditto and Gavin Strobel each hit sacrifice flies in the Mules four-run fourth putting UCM on top 6-2. 
• UCM kept scoring after that. They added a run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly from Alex Madera, his third RBI of the game. Erik Webb then plated two with a single in the sixth for a 9-2 lead.
• Central Missouri ended the game early scoring three in the seventh. Cole Taylor walked and Harrison Schunurbusch's pop fly found a hole in left scoring Taylor. Gavin Strobel then hit a game-ending two-run home run to left for a 12-2 run-rule win.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Collin Jones threw a seven-inning complete game allowing two unearned runs on four hits with five strikeouts.
• Gavin Strobel was 2-3 with a home run, three RBI and two runs scored.
• Alex Madera drove in three runs.
• Erik Webb singled and doubled and drove in two.
• Micah Evans and Cole Taylor each scored twice.

For the Bearcats
• Ryan Koski was 2-3 with an RBI.
• Brett Holden scored both runs going 1-3.
• Phil Brennaman started and threw 3.2 innings allowing six runs on three hits with four walks.

News and Notes
• Erik Webb drove in three runs and became the new UCM and MIAA career leader in RBI. He currently has 217.
• Webb also picked up a hit in each game increasing hit hitting streak to a new career-high 29 straight games. Webb doubled in his final at bat in game two to keep the streak alive.
• The Mules have won 24 straight games, three behind the all-time mark.
• UCM got the leadoff hitter on base in 10 of 15 innings.
• The Mules advanced a runner with an out 18 times and drove in five two-out runs.
• Central Missouri hit six sacrifice flies in two games.
• Mason Green has hit double-digit strikeouts in each of his last three games. He now has 215 for his career moving into a tie for third all-time at UCM with Jim Crane who was on hand.

Up Next
• The Mules finish off the series with the Bearcats tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. It's Military Appreciation Day and all military personnel and their families receive free admission to the game.