Wyatt Clark
Erik Williams Photography

Baseball

Mules Baseball Treks to Emporia State for Three-Game MIAA Series

Game 20: Central Missouri (12-6, 5-1 MIAA) at Emporia State (7-12, 3-3 MIAA)
Friday, March 10 | 4 p.m. | Emporia, Kan. (Trusler Sports Complex)
TV: MIAA Network (PPV)

Game 21: Central Missouri at Emporia State
Saturday, March 11 | 2 p.m. | Emporia, Kan. (Trusler Sports Complex)
TV: MIAA Network (PPV)

Game 22: Central Missouri at Emporia State
Sunday, March 12 | 1 p.m. | Emporia, Kan. (Trusler Sports Complex)
TV: MIAA Network (PPV)

Live Stats (all games) | UCM Stats | UCM Roster | Emporia State Roster | Emporia State Stats | Record Book
First Pitch
  • Central Missouri Mules baseball (13-6, 5-1 MIAA) is scheduled travel to Emporia, Kan., for a three-game MIAA series against the Emporia State Hornets (7-12, 3-3 MIAA) March 10-12 at the Trusler Sports Complex. The series opener is slated for 4 p.m. Friday, March 10, with game two at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 11, and the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 12.
  • The Mules, winners of 10 of their last 11 games, are coming off a 13-1, seven-inning victory at Drury Wednesday, March 8, in Ozark, Mo.
  • Through 19 games, Central Missouri is led at the plate by outfielders Carter Young (.477 avg., 16 R, 31 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 16 RBI, .800 SLG%, 7 BB, .527 OB%, 2 SB) and Vance Tobol (.319 avg., 10 R, 22 H, 1 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 16 RBI, .551 SLG%, 5 BB, 3 SB), and infielders John Prudhom (.367 avg., 18 R, 22 H, 5 2B, 9 HR, 21 RBI, .900 SLG%, 6 BB, 4 SB) and Jack Schark (.375 avg., 12 R, 21 H, 2 2B, 10 RBI, 6 BB, 6 SB).
  • On the mound with 18 games elapsed, UCM is paced by right-handers Conner Wolf (4.29 ERA, 2-2, 21.0 IP, 21 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 6 BB, 26 SO), JD McReynolds (0.00 ERA, 3-0, 12.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 21 SO), Wyatt Clark (1.50 ERA, 0-0, 4 SV, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO), Ethan Peterson (2.08 ERA, 2-0, 8.2 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 SO) and Jake Wilson (4.05 ERA, 1-0, 13.1 IP, 14 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 5 BB, 15 SO).
  • As a team through 19 games, Central Missouri is hitting .319 while its opponents are hitting .238.UCM has a team ERA of 4.64 and a team fielding percentage of .965.
  • In the latest MIAA statistics, the Mules are fourth in team batting (.319), third in team pitching (4.64 ERA) and fifth in team fielding (.965 fielding percentage).
  • In the most recent MIAA individual statistics, Young leads the conference in batting average (.477), ranks second in on-base percentage (.527), fifth in hits (31) and seventh in slugging percentage (.800) while Prudhom is second in slugging (.900) and home runs (9), and Clark is tied for second in saves (4). Wolf is also in the top-10 of the conference statistics through 19 games, ranking 10th in strikeouts at 26.
Notable Streaks
  • Carter Young is on a team-best 11-game hitting streak while John Prudhom has at least one hit in his last 10 contests.
  • Young and Max Holy have both reached base safely in 11 straight games. Prudhom has reached safely in his last 10 games, and Brennen van Breusegen is on a seven-game reached base safely streak.
Late-Inning Success
  • Through 19 games, the Mules are outscoring their opponents in the sixth inning, 21-5.
  • Combined in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings, Central Missouri is outscoring opponents, 57-10.
Preseason Honors
  • Brennen van Breusegen was voted a First Team NCBWA Preseason All-American and was named to the NCBWA Preseason All-Central Region Team. 
Mules in the Rankings
  • The Mules were picked first in the MIAA Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Series History
  • The three-game series at Emporia State will mark meetings 177-179 in the all-time series dating back to 1965. The Mules lead the series, 123-53, and have won the last 12 meetings with the Hornets. UCM's last loss to ESU was in 2019.
UCM During the Crookes Era
  • Kyle Crookes has a 316-114 (.735) record in his ninth season as head coach at Central Missouri.
  • Crookes is currently second all-time in coaching wins at UCM and is the fifth head coach to ever win 200 games. Crookes passed former UCM head coach Tom Myers, who tallied 311 wins in seven seasons from 2008-14, with the 6-5, walk-off victory over Northwest Missouri State Saturday, Feb. 25. 
  • 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. Nineteen players have earned All-Region honors, seven All-American and five 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 2023 season marks the 67th in the storied history of Mules Baseball. During that span the Mules have compiled a 2,074-800-9 record in 2,883 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 2022. 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 35 seasons.
  • The Mules have won back-to-back-to-back-to-back MIAA Tournament Championships (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022).
Up Next
  • Central Missouri is scheduled to host Missouri Western in a MIAA game Tuesday, March 14, at 3 p.m. at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg.
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Wyatt Clark

#56 Wyatt Clark

RHP
6' 5"
Sophomore
R/R
JD McReynolds

#47 JD McReynolds

RHP
6' 4"
Sophomore
L/R
Ethan Peterson

#27 Ethan Peterson

RHP
5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
John Prudhom

#37 John Prudhom

INF
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
Jack Schark

#1 Jack Schark

INF
5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
Vance Tobol

#22 Vance Tobol

OF
6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
Brennen van Breusegen

#48 Brennen van Breusegen

OF
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
Conner Wolf

#36 Conner Wolf

RHP
6' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
Carter Young

#29 Carter Young

OF
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
L/R
Max Holy

#7 Max Holy

INF
6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R

Players Mentioned

Wyatt Clark

#56 Wyatt Clark

6' 5"
Sophomore
R/R
RHP
JD McReynolds

#47 JD McReynolds

6' 4"
Sophomore
L/R
RHP
Ethan Peterson

#27 Ethan Peterson

5' 10"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
RHP
John Prudhom

#37 John Prudhom

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
INF
Jack Schark

#1 Jack Schark

5' 10"
Sophomore
R/R
INF
Vance Tobol

#22 Vance Tobol

6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
OF
Brennen van Breusegen

#48 Brennen van Breusegen

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
OF
Conner Wolf

#36 Conner Wolf

6' 3"
Sophomore
R/R
RHP
Carter Young

#29 Carter Young

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
L/R
OF
Max Holy

#7 Max Holy

6' 0"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
INF