Top-Seeded Mules Host No. 8-seeded Ouachita Baptist in NCAA-II Central Region Tournament Thursday

UCM Probable Starting Pitcher vs. Ouachita Baptist

RHP Collin Jones (9-0, 3.48 ERA, 62 SO, 16 BB, 75.0 IP)

First Pitch

Top-seeded Central Missouri Mules baseball (43-7) is scheduled to open play in the NCAA-II Central Region Tournament against the No. 8-seeded Ouachita Baptist Tigers (32-22) Thursday, May 19, at 6 p.m. at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg.
Thanks to the President's Office, all Central Missouri students who show their university ID at the gate will get in for FREE to the NCAA-II Central Region Tournament.
After earning their 28th MIAA Regular Season Championship, the Mules captured their fourth consecutive and 15th overall MIAA Tournament Title after taking down Washburn twice, 16-13 and 10-5, Saturday, May 15, in Edmond, Okla.
2022 will mark the 32nd time Central Missouri has qualified for the NCAA tournament dating all the way back to 1971 and will be the 18th time UCM has hosted a regional in Warrensburg.
Central Missouri is ranked No. 6 in the most recent Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Division II poll and checks in at No. 4 in the latest NCBWA Division II rankings.
Through 50 games, Central Missouri is led at the plate by infielders John Prudhom (.388 avg., 73 H, 67 R, 12 2B, 1 3B, 19 HR, 66 RBI, .766 SLG%, 31 BB, .481 OB%, 15 SB), Cole Moore (.371 avg., 49 H, 35 R, 8 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 28 RBI, .538 SLG%, 21 BB, .471 OB%, 6 SB) and Harrison Schnurbusch (.316 avg., 49 H, 50 R, 13 2B, 4 3B, 5 HR, 45 RBI, .548 SLG%, 21 BB, .418 OB%, 15 SB), catcher Isaiah Pani (.416 avg., 42 H, 34 R, 7 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 40 RBI, .782 SLG%, 10 BB, .504 OB%), and outfielders Brennen van Breusegen (.424 avg., 75 H, 55 R, 13 2B, 3 3B, 14 HR, 64 RBI, .768 SLG%, 16 BB, .468 OB%, 17 SB), Michael Chrisman (.345 avg., 67 H, 62 R, 9 2B, 5 3B, 5 HR, 46 RBI, .521 SLG%, 26 BB, .424 OB%, 13 SB) and Garrett Pennington (.385 avg., 62 H, 48 R, 17 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 44 RBI, .683 SLG%, 14 BB, .463 OB%, 8 SB).
On the mound, UCM is paced by starting RHP Collin Jones (9-0, 3.48 ERA, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 75.0 IP, 66 H, 32 R, 29 ER, 16 BB, 62 SO), and relievers Conner Wolf (4-1, 2.57 ERA, 28.0 IP, 18 H, 11 R, 8 ER, 10 BB, 31 SO), Ethan Peterson (4-0, 2.73 ERA, 1 SV, 1 SHO, 29.2 IP, 21 H, 12 R, 9 ER, 8 BB, 33 SO), Caleb Rogge (2-0, 2.37 ERA, 1 SV, 19.0 IP, 17 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 7 BB, 18 SO) and Brady Gavin (4-1, 1.29 ERA, 6 SV, 28.0 IP, 17 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 8 BB, 34 SO).
As a team, the Mules are hitting .355 while limiting opponents to a .236 batting average. Central Missouri has a team ERA of 4.16 and a team fielding percentage of .973.
In the latest MIAA team statistics, UCM leads the conference in pitching (4.16 ERA), batting (.355 avg.) and fielding (.973).

National Leaders

In the latest NCAA-II national statistics, the Mules rank fourth in batting average (.355), 23rd in ERA (4.16) and 14th in fielding percentage (.973). UCM leads NCAA-II in win-loss percentage at .860. UCM ranks in the top-10 in slugging percentage (6th at .589), on-base percentage (9th at .444), scoring (3rd with 10.6 runs per game) and runs (6th with 530).

Last Time Out for the Mules: MIAA Tournament Championship Edition

Game 1 vs. Washburn

No. 2-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball captured the 2022 MIAA Baseball Championship, presented by Mammoth Sports Construction, after downing the Washburn Ichabods in a pair of dramatic tournament championship games Saturday, May 14, at Wendell Simmons Field on the University of Central Oklahoma Campus, winning game one, 16-13 in 10 innings, before taking the winner-take-all game two, 10-5.
The tournament title is the fourth straight for the Mules (43-7) and the 15th in program history.
After falling behind in game one, 12-6, through six innings, Central Missouri outscored Washburn, 10-1, over the final three innings to pull off the come-from-behind 16-13 win in game one.
UCM began chipping away at the six-run deficit with a run in the top of the seventh when Brennen van Breusegen roped an RBI double to right field, scoring Cole Moore and bringing the Mules within 12-7.
Central Missouri put the pedal to the metal in the top of the eighth, scoring six runs on five hits to take a 13-12 lead. Carter Young smacked an RBI infield single to second base to bring home Jacob Steele before van Breusegen hit a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Isaiah Pani and making it 12-9. Garrett Pennington kept the inning rolling, hitting a two-RBI single to right field, allowing Young and Moore to cross home plate, trimming the Ichabod lead to 12-11. Sam Tatum delivered the go-ahead hit for the Mules after ripping a two-run double down the left field line, plating Pennington, and John Prudhom.
Washburn was able to tie the game with a run in the bottom of the ninth, sending the contest to extra innings.
The Mules wasted no time in regaining the lead – this time for good, tallying three runs in the top of the 10th inning for the 16-13 advantage. Steele worked a bases loaded walk for the opening run of the frame prior to Pani powering a two-RBI double to left-center to bring in Pennington and van Breusegen.
Brady Gavin threw a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th with a strikeout, pop-out and ground out, sealing the victory for UCM.
Prudhom went 2-for-4 with his team-best 19th homer of the season, four runs scored, and a pair of runs batted in while Pani was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, and Tatum had a double and drove in three runs, pacing Central Missouri offensively in game one.
Gavin (4-1) earned the victory on the mound after tossing four innings in relief and allowing just one earned run on three hits with four strikeouts and one walk on 63 pitches.

Game 2 vs. Washburn

The Mules trailed 2-0 in the penultimate game two before scoring a trio of runs in the second, one in the third and four in the fifth to build an 8-3 lead and go on to clinch the MIAA tournament title with the 10-5 win.
Pani tied the game, 2-2, with one swing in the bottom of the second, crushing a 1-1 pitch over the centerfield wall for a two-run homer – his eighth of 2022 – before Michael Chrisman chopped an RBI infield single to shortstop, allowing Harrison Schnurbusch to cross the plate and put UCM in front, 3-2.
Washburn responded with a run in the top of the third, knotting the contest, 3-3, but the Mules answered with a run of their own in the bottom-half of the third, regaining the 4-3 edge when Prudhom scored on an RBI fielder's choice from Pani.
Central Missouri blew the game open with a four-run fifth inning. Tatum scored on an Ichabod wild pitch for the first run of the frame prior to Schnurbusch smacking an RBI single to left, plating Pani, and Chase Heath roping an RBI double to right-center to bring in Schnurbusch. Heath scored the fourth run of the inning, making it 8-3 after crossing home plate on van Breusegen's RBI fielder's choice.
UCM and Washburn traded runs in the top and bottom of the sixth and seventh innings, bringing the score to 10-5, Mules.
Ethan Peterson worked a 1-2-3 top of the ninth inning with a strikeout and two ground outs, cementing the MIAA tournament championship for the Mules.
Tatum went 2-for-3 with two runs score and drove in a pair of runs while Pani drove in a trio of runs and homered, and Heath and Chrisman each collected a pair of hits, including doubles, pacing UCM in game two.
UCM starting pitcher Jacob Merithew (2-0) earned the game two win on the rubber after throwing 5 1/3 innings and allowing four earned runs on three hits with a career-high nine strikeouts and just three walks on 96 pitches.
Gavin, Prudhom, Tatum, Pani, Donovan Ditto and Conner Wolf were all voted to the MIAA Baseball Championship All-Tournament Team, with Pani earning Most Outstanding Player honors after hitting .500 with 10 hits, three doubles, three homers, nine runs scored, 12 RBIs, a 1.100 slugging percentage and a .600 on-base percentage in the Mules' five tournament games.

Notable Streaks

Garrett Pennington is one a team-best 19-game hitting streak going into Thursday's regional opener vs. Ouachita. Isaiah Pani has a 10-game hitting streak going into regional play.
Pennington has reached base in his last 19 consecutive games while Pani, John Prudhom and Jack Schark have successfully gotten on-base in their last 13 contests.

Jones, van Breusegen, Pennington Garner D2CCA All-Region Honors

Collin Jones, Brennen van Breusegen and Garrett Pennington were all voted to the 2022 Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) All-Central Region First Team, the organization announced Wednesday, May 18.
This is the first All-Region nod for the three of them.
All three are now eligible for the D2CCA All-American Team, which will be released Wednesday, June 1.
The D2CCA All-Region Teams are voted on by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) from each region. The Central Region consists of 39 baseball teams from the Northern Sun (15 teams), MIAA (12 teams) and Great American Conference (12 teams).

All-MIAA Honors Abound for Mules

Brennen van Breusegen was named the MIAA Co-Player of the Year and head coach Kyle Crookes was tabbed the Coach of the Year as the MIAA Regular Season Champion Central Missouri Mules baseball team had 13 student-athletes earn All-MIAA postseason accolades for the 2022 season.
Van Breusegen, an outfielder, and pitcher Collin Jones were voted unanimous First Team All-MIAA honorees while designated hitter Garrett Pennington was also voted to the first team.
Outfielder Michael Chrisman, infielders John Prudhom and Harrison Schnurbusch, and relief pitcher Brady Gavin all earned Second Team All-MIAA accolades, and relief pitcher Harrison Babbitt and infielder Cole Moore received Third Team All-MIAA honors.
Catcher Isaiah Pani, infielders Donovan Ditto and Jacob Steele, and outfielder Sam Tatum were selected Honorable Mention All-MIAA. Jones and Chrisman were both named to the conference's Gold Glove Team, rounding out the All-MIAA honors for the Mules.

Previous MIAA Weekly Honors

MIAA Hitter of the Week: John Prudhom, March 28; Brennen van Breusegen, April 11, 18
MIAA Pitcher of the Week: Brady Gavin, March 28; Collin Jones, April 18

Previous Regional/National Weekly Awards

NCBWA Division II National Hitter of the Week: Brennen van Breusegen, April 20
NCBWA Division II Central Region Hitter of the Week: Brennen van Breusegen, April 20

Fourth Inning Success

Through 50 games, the Mules are outscoring opponents in the fourth inning, 76-22. Other notable innings that UCM is outscoring adversaries in so far in 2022 include the first (80-46), second (72-25) and seventh (56-12).

Series History

Thursday's NCAA-II Central Region opener will mark the 11th meeting in the all-time series vs. Ouachita Baptist. The series is tied, 5-5. UCM and OBU last met in 2017 in Arkadelphia, Ark., with the Tigers defeating the Mules, 4-2. Central Missouri head coach Kyle Crookes is 1-1 all-time against Ouachita Baptist.

UCM During the Crookes Era

Kyle Crookes has a 299-106 (.738) record now in his eighth season as head coach at Central Missouri.
Crookes is currently third all-time in coaching wins at UCM and is the fifth head coach to ever win 200 games. Crookes is 12 wins behind the second winningest coach in program history, Tom Myers, who went 311-91 (.774) in seven seasons as the Mules' head coach from 2008-2014.
In 2016, he won his first conference championship as head coach at UCM. He added a tournament title in 2018 and his second regular season championship in 2019. The 2021 season brought Crookes his third MIAA regular season and tournament championship, and the 2022 season marks Crookes's fourth regular season and tournament titles.
Crookes is up to eight MIAA Championships, four regular season and four tournament.
He also has three regional championships to his credit in 2016, 2019 and 2021.
During his six+ seasons at the helm, 76 players have earned All-MIAA honors, including 21 First Team nods and Players of the Year in Erik Webb in 2019, Dusty Stroup in 2021 and Brennen van Breusegen in 2022. 19 players have earned All-Region honors, six All-American and four players have been selected in the MLB Draft.
The Mules were 71-29 in Crookes' two seasons as an assistant coach and captured the 2014 MIAA Regular Season Championship. The Mules garnered five First Team All-MIAA selections and three All-America honors during his two years as an assistant.
Crookes compiled a 292-164 overall record in eight seasons as the head coach at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College before taking over as an assistant coach at UCM.

Mules Baseball History

The 2022 season marks the 66th in the storied history of Mules Baseball. During that span the Mules have compiled a 2,058-792-9 record in 2,859 games played.
The Mules have won 40 or more games 21 times, including 14 straight seasons from 1999-2012, and have won 50 or more games nine times.
The Mules have won or shared 28 MIAA regular season championships, 15 MIAA tournament championships, captured 19 regional titles and two national championships.

Mules Baseball by the Numbers

32 NCAA Regional Appearances (24 of the last 27 years)
28 MIAA Regular Season Titles (20 of the last 28)
15 MIAA Tournament Titles
19 Regional Championships
18 Regionals as host site
16 Top Five national finishes
5 Third place finishes
2 National Runners Up finishes
2 National Championships

Quick Hits

Central Missouri totaled 46 wins in 2021. The Mules have won at least 30 games in all eight full seasons under Coach Crookes. They won 20 of 23 games in 2020 before the season was cut short.
The team made their 19th trip to the NCAA-II World Series in 2021.
The Mules have finished with a winning record in each of the last 34 seasons.
The Mules have won back-to-back-to-back-to-back MIAA Tournament Championships (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022).

Mules Baseball: Winningest Team of the 2000s

The Central Missouri baseball program has had unprecedented success in the last 30 years and has been even more impressive since the year 2000. The Mules were the winningest team in all divisions of the NCAA by victories (508) and percentage (.814, 508-116) from 2000-09. That success has continued through the 2020s.
The Mules are 1,026-276 (.788) since the year 2000. An average of almost 47 wins per season over the last 20 years, the most of any team in Division II.

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