WARRENSBURG, Mo. (May 14, 2021) - Central Missouri Mules Baseball finished off a two-game sweep of Emporia State Friday afternoon. The Mules scored early in their 7-3 win to advance to the MIAA semifinals next week in Joplin, Mo.
How it Happened
• The Mules collected 11 hits scoring seven times. They once again played small ball with just two of the 11 hits going for extra bases.
• Mule pitchers allowed just six hits and didn't walk a batter all afternoon while striking out five.
• The Hornet defense let them down as they committed three errors.
• UCM jumped on the Hornets early scoring five runs in the first. The Mules got the first four runners on base.
Dusty Stroup's RBI single drove in the first run of the game.
Micah Evans and
Alex Madera each executed squeeze bunts to bring in two more.
Donovan Ditto then drove in a run with a ground ball and
Gaven Strobel brought in the fifth run with a sacrifice fly.
• The Mules added a run in the third.
Cole Moore kept the inning alive with an infield single and
Donovan Ditto drove him in with an opposite field triple.
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Collin Jones kept the Hornets off the board until the fourth. ESU led off the inning with a home run from Brady Michel.
• ESU scored three straight to cut the Mules lead in half. They scored single runs in the sixth with an RBI single and the eighth scoring on a wild pitch.
• The Mules had chance to blow the game open putting the first two runners on in the fourth and fifth innings. Both times the Hornets were able to escape the jam unharmed.
• UCM did add a run in the eighth when
Josh Schumacher's double in the right centerfield gap scored
Carter Young.
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Evan Rathburn needed just 11 pitches to work a 1-2-3 ninth and send the Mules to the tournament semifinals.
Mules Stat Leaders
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Collin Jones got the win on the mound. He threw 5.1 innings allowing two runs on five hits with four strikeouts.
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Josh Schumacher picked up three hits with a double, run and an RBI.
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Alex Madera singled twice and drove in a run.
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Donovan Ditto tripled and drove in two.
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Cole Moore had two hits and scored a run.
For the Hornets
• Jared Kengott tossed the first six innings allowing six runs (five earned) on 10 hits with two strikeouts.
• Brady Michel homered and drove in both runs.
• Cooper Minnick doubled and scored.
News and Notes
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Erik Webb became the new UCM and MIAA career leader in hits picking up number 313. He broke Bryan McBride's record set in 2008. Webb now holds the MIAA career records in hits, home runs and RBI.
• This is the first time since Feb. 27 the Mules have gone without a home run in back-to-back games.
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Josh Schumacher extends his hitting streak to 11 games and
Micah Evans has reached in 34 straight.
• Central Missouri has now won seven straight games over Emporia State.
• The Mules bullpen allowed just one run in 6.2 innings in the series.
Up Next
• The Mules will wait to find out their opponent in the semifinals. As the number one seed, they'll play either Pittsburg State or Washburn next Thursday, May 20 at 12 p.m.
