Mules Baseball during Military Appreciation Game vs. Washburn Saturday, April 1.
Brinkley Beever

Baseball

Trip to No. 13 Quincy On Tap for No. 4 Mules Baseball

Game 46: No. 4 Central Missouri (33-12, 24-6 MIAA) at No. 13 Quincy (31-9, 19-5 GLVC)
Tuesday, April 25 | 3 p.m. | Quincy, Ill. (QU Stadium)

Live Stats | Live Video | UCM Stats | UCM Roster | Quincy Roster | Quincy Stats | Record Book
First Pitch
  • No. 4-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball (33-12, 24-6 MIAA) is scheduled to travel to Quincy, Ill., for a non-conference, midweek game against the No. 13-ranked Quincy Hawks (31-9, 19-5 GLVC) Tuesday, April 25, at 3 p.m. at QU Stadium.
  • The Mules are coming off a three-game, MIAA series sweep of Central Oklahoma April 21-23 at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg, winning 5-4, 6-5 and 6-3.
  • Through 45 games, Central Missouri is led at the plate by outfielders Carter Young (.389 avg., 48 R, 70 H, 12 2B, 2 3B, 15 HR, 50 RBI, .728 SLG%, 19 BB, .443 OB%, 9 SB), Mason Lowe (.354 avg., 24 R, 34 H, 5 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 15 RBI, 14 BB, .470 OB%, 7 SB) and Vance Tobol (.307 avg., 36 R, 46 H, 6 2B, 3 3B, 9 HR, 45 RBI, .567 SLG%, 18 BB, 8 SB), and infielders Jack Schark (.369 avg., 37 R, 52 H, 10 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 28 RBI, .518 SLG%, 20 BB, .462 OB%, 21 SB), John Prudhom (.335 avg., 46 R, 54 H, 12 2B, 2 3B, 13 HR, 44 RBI, .677 SLG%, 17 BB, 16 SB), Cole Moore (.349 avg., 45 R, 53 H, 11 2B, 4 3B, 5 HR, 36 RBI, .572 SLG%, 24 BB, .436 OB%, 10 SB) and Max Holy (.300 avg., 23 R, 30 H, 7 2B, 2 HR, 21 RBI, 16 BB, .437 OB%, 16 SB).
  • On the mound with 45 games elapsed, UCM is paced by right-handers Conner Wolf (4.53 ERA, 7-3, 1 CG, 57.2 IP, 48 H, 33 R, 29 ER, 15 BB, 57 SO), Tyler Kotsis (2.21 ERA, 2-0, 20.1 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 8 BB, 24 SO), JD McReynolds (0.35 ERA, 3-0, 5 SV, 25.2 IP, 9 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 7 BB, 41 SO), Jake Wilson (3.72 ERA, 3-0, 38.2 IP, 34 H, 17 R, 16 ER, 11 BB, 27 SO), Cole LaLonde (3.09 ERA, 2-1, 35.0 IP, 33 H, 17 R, 12 ER, 19 BB, 51 SO) and Ethan Peterson (1.89 ERA, 3-0, 19.0 IP, 20 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 4 BB, 14 SO), and left-hander Cole Schroeder (3.32 ERA, 0-1, 19.0 IP, 14 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 13 BB, 18 SO).
  • As a team through 45 games, Central Missouri is hitting .320 while its opponents are hitting .232. UCM has a team ERA of 4.46 and a team fielding percentage of .971.
  • In the latest MIAA statistics, the Mules are first in team pitching (4.46 ERA), third in team batting (.320 avg.) and fourth in team fielding (.971 fielding pct.)
  • In the most recent MIAA individual position player statistics, Schark is third in stolen bases (21) and 10th in batting average (.369); Young is fourth in hits (70), fifth in homers (15), and sixth in batting average (.389) and slugging percentage (.728); Prudhom is eighth in slugging percentage (.677) and home runs (13); Lowe is 10th in on-base percentage (.470); Wolf is third in opposing batting average (.224) and ninth in ERA (4.53); and McReynolds is fifth in saves (5).
Notable Streaks
  • Max Holy has reached base safely in a team-best 30 straight games.
  • Carter Young is on a team-high eight-game hitting streak and has reached base safely in his last eight contests.
Late-Inning Success
  • Through 45 games, the Mules are outscoring their opponents in the sixth inning, 60-28.
  • Combined in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings, Central Missouri is outscoring opponents, 150-66.
  • UCM is 26-1 this season when leading after six innings.
Weekly Awards Series History
  • Tuesday's midweek game at Quincy will mark the 12th meeting in the all-time series going back to 1982. The Mules lead the series, 9-2. UCM defeated Quincy earlier this season on April 4 at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field, winning 15-1 in seven innings.
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.
  • In the latest NCBWA Division II Poll release Wednesday, April 19, UCM checks in at No. 4.
UCM During the Crookes Era
  • Kyle Crookes has a 336-120 (.737) 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 2,094-806-9 record in 2,909 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
  • The Mules host Fort Hays State April 28-30 at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg for their final regular season series of the season.
Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

Tyler Kotsis

#18 Tyler Kotsis

RHP
5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
Cole LaLonde

#35 Cole LaLonde

RHP
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
JD McReynolds

#47 JD McReynolds

RHP
6' 4"
Sophomore
L/R
Cole Moore

#11 Cole Moore

INF
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
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
Cole Schroeder

#51 Cole Schroeder

LHP
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
L/L
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

Players Mentioned

Tyler Kotsis

#18 Tyler Kotsis

5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
RHP
Cole LaLonde

#35 Cole LaLonde

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
RHP
JD McReynolds

#47 JD McReynolds

6' 4"
Sophomore
L/R
RHP
Cole Moore

#11 Cole Moore

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
L/R
INF
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
Cole Schroeder

#51 Cole Schroeder

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
L/L
LHP
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