WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Ninth-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball won its 10th consecutive game and completed its third straight series sweep with a 4-3, comeback win over the Emporia State Hornets in the final game of a three-game MIAA series Monday, March 14, at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.
The Mules (15-3, 9-0 MIAA) are scheduled to travel to St. Joseph, Mo., for an MIAA contest at Missouri Western (3-15, 1-8 MIAA) Wednesday, March 16, at 3 p.m.
After falling behind early, 2-0, Central Missouri rallied back and tied the game, 2-2, with a run each in the fourth and fifth innings on RBI singles from
Donovan Ditto and
John Prudhom.
The Mules took their first lead of the game, 3-2, in the bottom of the sixth after
Isaiah Pani hit a bunt to the pitcher and
Garrett Pennington beat the throw to the plate.
The Hornets answered in the top of the eighth, scoring on a Central Missouri error, knotting the game, 3-3. UCM responded, however, and took the lead for good in the bottom-half of the inning.
Jacob Steele worked a one-out walk before sneaking over to second base on a caught foul ball. After Pani was hit by a pitch,
Michael Chrisman stepped to the plate and drove of 2-1 pitch into right field, allowing Steele to cross home plate for the 4-3 advantage.
Emporia State (8-14, 2-7 MIAA) attempted to mount a comeback in the top of the ninth when Sam Chaput hit a two-out single through the left side, but Mule reliever
Brady Gavin coaxed a fly-out to center fielder
Brennen van Breusegen, securing the win for Central Missouri.
Chrisman finished the day going 3-for-5 with an RBI while Prudhom went 3-for-4 and drove in a run and Pennington went 2-for4 with a double and two runs scored, leading UCM at the plate.
Gavin (1-1) earned the victory on the mound for the Mules after giving up an earned run on two hits with one strikeout and a walk in two innings.
Kase Johnson went 1-for-2 with a run batted in to lead Emporia State offensively.
Carl Aikman (0-2) suffered the loss in relief for ESU, giving up one earned run on three hits with no strikeouts and a walk.
Â
