Mules Baseball Secures 2,000th Program Win

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (May 2, 2021) - Central Missouri reached a major program milestone Sunday afternoon picking up their 2,000th program win defeating Northeastern State 6-5. The Mules are the third team in NCAA Division II history to reach 2,000 wins as a program. The win puts UCM at 31-6 overall and 27-3 in the MIAA.

How it Happened
• Defense played a big role as two RiverHawk errors led to four Mule runs. 
• Both teams picked up eight hits. The Mules left seven on base while the RiverHawks stranded nine. 
• Of the Mules eight hits, five went for extra bases. The RiverHawks had just three extra-base hits with five singles. 
• Northeastern State scored first getting a run in the third, leading off the inning with a home run.
• UCM got their first hit and run in the fourth. Erik Webb started the inning with a home run, the 60th of his career.
• Dusty Stroup then gave the Mules the lead with a little league run. He singled, advanced to second on a passed ball, stole third and scored on the thrown down to third.
• A Josh Schumacher sacrifice fly made it a 3-1 Mules lead in the fifth and Cole Taylor's RBI single in the sixth put UCM up 4-1.
• Central Missouri plated two more in the seventh for a 6-1 lead. A two-out error allowed the inning to continue and brought in Scott Wolverton. Dusty Stroup singled up the middle to keep the inning going and put the Mules up five.
• A two-out bases loaded single brought the RiverHawks closer in the seventh, cutting the lead in half to 6-3. 
• The RiverHawks threatened in the ninth. A two-run home run brought NSU within one, 6-5. They then put the winning run on base with a single and a walk. Evan Rathburn got out of the jam though with a strikeout and a ground out to end the game. 

Mules Stat Leaders
• Conor Dryer started on the mound and lasted five innings allowing a run on four hits.
• Dusty Stroup was 4-5 at the plate with two runs and an RBI.
• Erik Webb and Josh Schumacher each had a hit, RBI and run scored.
• Cole Moore had a double and scored a run.
• Chase Plymell didn't allow a run in 1.1 innings of relief giving up a hit with a strikeout. 

For the RiverHawks
• Jonathan Smithey pitched the first five innings for NSU. He allowed three runs (one earned) on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts. 
• Blaze Brothers homered twice and drove in three runs.
• Collin Klingensmith singled and drove in a pair of runs. 
• Reid Fehr scored two runs.
• Connor Bell reached base three times with two hits and a walk and scored a run. 

News and Notes
• The Mules join Florida Southern and Delta State as the only Division II teams with 2,000 program wins. 
• Webb's home run, the 60th of his career, makes him just the seventh player in Division II history to hit 60 career home runs and the first since 2010.
• This was only the fifth one-run game of the season for the Mules who are now 3-2.
• This is the first time the Mules have won a series from the RiverHawks on the road under Coach Crookes. 
• UCM finished the regular season 13-2 in road games. 

Up Next
• The Mules wrap up the regular season next weekend at home against Missouri Western. Game one is Friday, May 7th with a doubleheader Saturday, May 8th.