HOUSTON – Third-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules baseball opened its 2022 season with two victories in the Houston Winter Invitational Friday, Feb. 11, at Minute Maid Park, defeating Arkansas-Monticello, 9-4, before taking down Maryville in the nightcap, 10-3.
The Mules (2-0) are scheduled to face St. Mary's at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, for their third game of the Houston Winter Invitational.
In the 9-4 triumph in game one, Central Missouri raced out to a 5-1 lead with three runs in the first inning and two in the second and never looked back enroute to the victory.
Michael Chrisman singled through the left side, scoring
Cole Moore and
Garrett Pennington, before
Donovan Ditto drove in Chrisman on an RBI infield single for UCM's three runs in the bottom of the first.
The Weevils (2-1) plated a run in the top of the second to cut the Mule advantage to 3-1, but Central Missouri answered with its two runs in the bottom-half of the frame. Pennington hit a sacrifice fly, driving in
Isaiah Pani, before Moore crossed home plate on a UAM error for the 5-1 lead.
Arkansas-Monticello got no closer than four runs the rest of the game.
Chrisman, who made his Central Missouri debut in game one, went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Ditto and
Harrison Schnurbusch each drove in two runs, leading the Mules offensively.
UCM reliever
Caleb Rogge (1-0) earned his first win on the mound at Central Missouri after allowing one earned run on four hits with three strikeouts and no walks in two innings.
Hudson Hopkins went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and a homer to pace the Weevils.
UCM starter Derek Potts (0-1) took the loss on the bump after giving up eight runs – six earned – on 12 hits with a pair of Ks and a walk in four innings.
In the 10-4 game two victory, the Mules plated eight runs in the opening four innings of the contest to jump out to an 8-3 lead over the Saints (0-1).
A Chrisman RBI grounder and John Prudom RBI single through the left side opened the scoring for Central Missouri in the bottom of the first, putting UCM on top, 2-1.
The Mules put up three in the third to build their advantage to 5-1.
Brennen van Breusegen worked a walk on a 13-pitch at bat to lead-off the frame before scoring on Pennington's RBI triple to dead centerfield. A Chrisman sacrifice bunt and wild pitch drove in the other two runs of the inning for Central Missouri.
Pennington, van Breusegen and Schnurbusch each had a pair of hits, while Schnurbusch, Chrisman and Prudhom each had two RBIs, leading UCM in game two.
Reliever
Tyler Kotsis (1-0) picked up the victory on the mound, allowing no earned runs on a pair of hits with two Ks and no walks in two innings.
Dominic Connolly had a double and Alex Hoff homered, pacing the Saints.
Maryville's Geo Camfield (0-1) suffered the loss after surrendering five earned runs on four hits with three walks and a strikeout.
Â
