Mules Clinch MIAA Regular Season in Game 1 Rout

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (May 1, 2021) - For the 27th time Central Missouri Mules Baseball is atop the MIAA as they won the MIAA Regular Season Championship following game one of their doubleheader with Northeastern State. The Mules came out on fire, routing the RiverHawks 16-1 in seven innings. Following the win, the Mules nearly had a comeback win in game two, but the RiverHawks walked it off 5-4. UCM picked up their 30th win of the season and are 30-6 on the year, 26-3 in the MIAA. 

Game 1 - Central Missouri 16, Northeastern State 1 (7 Innings)
How it Happened
• The Mules scored 16 runs on 15 hits in just seven innings. Mule pitchers allowed just four hits in the game.
• Central Missouri scored in all but two innings, and put up 13 runs over the final three innings.
• Mule pitchers fanned eight RiverHawks and left six on base.
• UCM got on the board one batter into the game. Josh Schumacher led off with a home run down the left field line and UCM was off and running.
• An inning later, Scott Wolverton made it 3-0 with a two-run shot. That's how the scored remained until the fifth. Two singles and an error loaded the bases for the Mules. Cole Taylor brought home two with a single and Alex Madera drove in a run on a ground ball as UCM doubled their lead to 6-0.
• Northeastern State got their lone run in the home half of the fifth, scoring on a sacrifice fly.
• The Mules got the run back and more in the sixth. Erik Webb tripled to bring in Wolverton and Schumacher. Taylor then picked up two more RBI driving in Webb and Dusty Stroup with a single up the middle.
• Central Missouri put the first six batters on base in the seventh and all six came in to score. Webb had the only RBI hit in the inning however, an opposite field single to bring in Donovan Ditto.
• UCM put a runner on in the seventh but left him stranded and the Mules went on to win in a run-rule, 16-1.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Josh Schumacher reached base five times with four hits and a walk. He had an RBI and scored four times.
• Cole Taylor drove in five runs going 2-4 with a pair of two-run scoring singles.
• Erik Webb finished 2-5 with three runs and three RBI.
• Scott Wolverton scored three times and drove in two with a home run.
• Micah Evans picked up two hits and scored twice. 
• Mason Green got the win going the first five allowing a run on four hits with seven strikeouts.
• Brady Gavin and Grayson Senn each worked scoreless innings.

For the RiverHawks
• Seth Key started and lasted 5.1 innings allowing nine runs (seven earned) on 10 hits with two walks and four strikeouts.
• Tucker Dunlap had a hit and a run scored.
• Brayden Rodden drove in the only run with a sacrifice fly. 

Game 2 - Northeastern State 5, Central Missouri 4
How it Happened
• Central Missouri picked up eight hits to the RiverHawks nine.
• Both teams were in double-figure strikeouts with the Mules fanning 10 times and Northeastern State 11.
• The Mules had chances to score but left nine runners on base. 
• Central Missouri again got on the board first. They scored in the second and it was all Alex Madera. He tripled and came in to score on a throwing error by the second basemen, 1-0 Mules after two.
• Northeastern State tied the game in the third with a triple of their own. A leadoff walk came in to score on Blaze Brothers two-out triple to center.
• The RiverHawks put three more on the board in a three-run, five-hit fifth inning and took their first lead 4-1. The fifth inning also featured a Mules error and a wild pitch. Northeastern could have scored more if not for Micah Evans' throw home from center to cut down a runner at the plate. 
• UCM was held scoreless until the eighth when Alex Madera's two-out single cut the RiverHawk lead in half, 4-2.
• After a two-out error loaded the bases with two outs, Dusty Stroup proved clutch, going the opposite field for a game-tying single as Josh Schumacher and Cole Moore came in to tie the game at four.
• In the ninth though, NSU pieced together two hits and a stolen base, and walked off with a 5-4 win.

Mules Stat Leaders
• Alex Madera had two hits, drove in a run and scored.
• Dusty Stroup picked up a pair of RBI on two hits.
• Cole Moore and Josh Schumacher each had a hit and scored a run.
• Collin Jones started and allowed three runs on four hits while striking out six in 4.1 innings.
• Chase Plymell, Tyler Kuhlmann and Hunter Little combined for 3.2 scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts.

For the RiverHawks
• Nic Swanson allowed an unearned run in seven innings giving up four hits and striking out eight.
• Brayden Rodden was 2-5 with three RBI.
• Reid Fehr scored twice to go with a pair of hits.
• Blaze Brothers had two hits, a run scored and an RBI.

News and Notes
• The Mules have clinched their 27th regular season MIAA title in team history and the 19th in the last 27 years.
• UCM has won the regular season championship in back-to-back years. It's the first time in the MIAA that a team has won outright consecutive conference titles since Emporia State in 2008 and 2009.
• The win in game one gives the Mules 30 for the season. They've won at least 30 games in each full season under Coach Crookes. 
• Mason Green improves to 21-0 all-time at UCM. He's one win behind entering the UCM top-10 for wins.
• Cole Taylor drove in his 100th career RBI.
• The run Evan Rathburn allowed is the first earned run he's allowed since May 5, 2019.  
• UCM is one win away from their 2,000th program win.
• Central Missouri was 4-6 with the bases loaded in two games.
• Josh Scuhmacher was 5-7 in the doubleheader with five runs scored.

Up Next
• The rubber game of the series tomorrow has been moved up to an 11 a.m. start.