PITTSBURG, Kan. – JD McReynolds threw scoreless seventh, eighth and ninth innings as No. 8-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball turned back the Pittsburg State Gorillas, 7-5, in the series finale of a three-game MIAA series Sunday afternoon, April 16, at Al Ortolani Field.
With the victory, the Mules secure their 10th series win of the season and move to 30-11 overall and 21-6 in the MIAA.
A sophomore right-hander from Sullivan, Mo., McReynolds earned his third save of the season after surrendering zero earned runs on just one hit with four strikeouts and one walk in the final three innings of the game.
Grayson Senn (2-1) picked up the win on the mound in relief, tossing two-thirds of an inning and allowing no earned runs on no hits.
Trailing 5-3 going into the top of the seventh inning,
Carter Young belted a lead-off homer to right field, his team-high 13th home run of 2023, cutting the UCM deficit to 5-4.
Mason Lowe and
Jack Schark then worked back-to-back bases-loaded walks, allowing
Cole Moore and
Chase Wilcox to walk home and put Central Missouri in front, 6-5.
The Mules tallied an insurance run in the top of the eighth inning when
John Prudhom hit a double to centerfield prior to crossing home plate on Moore's RBI single to center for the 7-5 advantage.
Moore and
Max Holy each had two hits, while Young homered and Prudhom and
Jacob Steele both doubled, leading UCM at the plate.
Nixon Brannan went 3-for-3, pacing the Gorillas (28-13, 19-8 MIAA) offensively.
Pittsburg State reliever Dawson Pomeroy (0-2) took the loss on the rubber, giving up two earned runs on zero hits with three walks and failing to record an out.
Central Missouri is scheduled to host Drury in a midweek game Wednesday, April 19, at 6 p.m. at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg.
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