Game 12: No. 3 Central Missouri (9-2, 0-0 MIAA) vs. No. 9 Central Oklahoma (11-0, 0-0 MIAA)
Friday, Feb. 23 | 3 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Radio: 98.5 The BAR (Bob Jackson, pxp)
Live Video (PPV) |
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Probable pitchers: RHP
Conner Wolf (UCM) vs. RHP Caleb Burchfield (UCO)
Game 13: No. 3 Central Missouri vs. No. 9 Central Oklahoma
Saturday, Feb. 24 | 2 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Live Video (PPV) |
Live Stats
Probable pitchers: RHP
Jake Wilson (UCM) vs. RHP Brett Pense (UCO)
Game 14: No. 3 Central Missouri vs. No. 9 Central Oklahoma
Sunday, Feb. 25 | 1 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Radio: 98.5 The BAR (Bob Jackson, pxp; Jason Ketz, color commentary)
Live Video (PPV) |
Live Stats |
Live Audio
Probable pitchers: LHP
Jonah Walker (UCM) vs. RHP Preston Giltner (UCO)
PARKING REMINDER: Fans are reminded to NOT park in the Diamond Club Apartment parking lot for games. All vehicles without a permit in those lots are subject to being towed. All fans are encouraged to use the UCM parking lots.
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First Pitch
- No. 3-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball (9-2, 0-0 MIAA) is scheduled to open MIAA play with a three-game series against the No. 9-ranked Central Oklahoma Bronchos (11-0, 0-0 MIAA) Feb. 23-25 at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg. The Mules and Bronchos series opener is slated for 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23, with game two at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24, and the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 25.
- The Mules, winners of eight straight games, are coming off a four-game series sweep of Davenport Feb. 17-18 in Warrensburg. UCM won 3-1 (7 inn.), 10-2, 12-3 (7 inn.) and 10-4.
- Through 11 games, UCM is paced at the plate by designated hitter Vance Tobol (.400 avg., 9 R, 14 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 12 RBI, .857 SLG%, 4 BB, 2 SB), outfielders Jack Schark (.400 avg., 10 R, 16 H, 5 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, .750 SLG%, 6 BB, 5 SB), Brennen van Breusegen (.345 avg., 7 R, 10 H, 3 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 7 RBI, .690 SLG%, 5 BB, 2 SB) and Carter Young (.333 avg., 11 R, 13 H, 5 2B, 4 HR, 11 RBI, .769 SLG%, 7 BB, .2 SB), and infielders Josh Patrick (.389 avg., 13 R, 14 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 9 RBI, .833 SLG%, 7 BB, 6 SB) and Jacob Steele (.371 avg., 8 R, 13 H, 3 2B, 7 RBI, 4 BB, 3 SB).
- On the mound through 11 contests, the Mules are led by Conner Wolf (2-0, 3.52 ERA, 15.1 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 19 SO) and Jonah Walker (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 10.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 8 BB, 8 SO).
- As a team through 11 games, Central Missouri is hitting .337 while holding opponents to a .228 average. In addition, UCM has a .987 fielding percentage with 11 games in the books. Entering conference play, UCM ranks second in the MIAA in batting (.337 avg.), seventh in pitching (4.88 ERA) and first in fielding (.987 pct.).
- Central Missouri is coming off a 2023 season that saw it post an overall record of 43-15 and a MIAA tally of 27-6. UCM captured both the MIAA Regular Season and Postseason Tournament Championships and advanced to the NCAA-II Central Region Championship game.
Previewing the 2024 Mules
- Entering the 2024 campaign, Mules baseball welcomes back six position starters, including 2023 Honorable Mention All-American outfielder Carter Young (.361 avg., 60 R, 83 H, 13 2B, 3 3B, 16 HR, 61 RBI, .652 SLG%, 27 BB, .431 OB%, 11 SB), and All-MIAA performers Jack Schark (.366 avg., 53 R, 70 H, 13 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 38 RBI, .508 SLG%, 27 BB, .466 OB%, 29 SB), Vance Tobol (.351 avg., 54 R, 71 H, 13 2B, 4 3B, 12 HR, 64 RBI, .634 SLG%, 22 BB, .427 OB%, 14 SB), Cole Moore (.342 avg., 55 R, 67 H, 14 2B, 5 3B, 6 HR, 48 RBI, .556 SLG%, 34 BB, .445 OB%, 11 SB), Chase Heath (.319 avg., 15 R, 22 H, 5 2B, 2 HR, 15 RBI, 9 BB, 3 SB) and Max Holy (.282 avg., 32 R, 40 H, 7 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 36 RBI, .408 SLG%, 26 BB, 20 SB).
- On the mound, Central Missouri returns eight pitchers that tossed at least 15 innings in 2023, including All-American starting pitcher Conner Wolf (11-3, 3.90 ERA, 1 CG, 83.0 IP, 73 H, 40 R, 36 ER, 16 BB, 71 SO) and All-American closer JD McReynolds (5-0, 1.08 ERA, 6 SV, 33.1 IP, 13 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 11 BB, 51 SO), as well as All-MIAA starting pitcher Jake Wilson (3-1, 4.70 ERA, 46.0 IP, 46 H, 26 R, 24 ER, 14 BB, 29 SO). UCM also welcomes back pitchers Harrison Babbitt (1-0, 2.35 ERA, 15.1 IP, 12 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 14 SO), Jack Payne (1-0, 2.55 ERA, 17.2 IP, 15 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 14 BB, 19 SO), Tyler Kotsis (3-0, 3.41 ERA, 29.0 IP, 18 H, 14 R, 11 ER, 9 BB, 31 SO), Jacob Beauchamp (2-0, 5.28 ERA, 15.1 IP, 16 H, ,9 R, 9 ER, 5 BB, 18 SO) and Grayson Senn (2-1, 8.28 ERA, 25.0 IP, 24 H, 25 R, 23 ER, 19 BB, 24 SO).
Notable Streaks
Preseason Honors
Mules in the Rankings
- Central Missouri is No. 3 in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) NCAA Division II Poll released February 21.
- The Mules were picked first in the MIAA Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Series History
- The three-game series vs. Central Oklahoma will mark meetings 66-68 in the all-time series going back to the first meeting in 1995. UCM leads the series, 41-24, after sweeping a three-game series against the Bronchos last season in Warrensburg, 5-4, 6-5 and 6-3.
Last Time Out
- No. 4-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball ran its winning streak to eight games, completing a four-game, series sweep of the Davenport University Panthers Sunday, Feb. 18, at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field, winning 12-3 in seven innings and 10-4.
- In UCM's 12-3, seven-inning victory in game one over the Panthers (0-4), the Mules used a four-run fourth inning and four-run sixth inning to secure the win.
- Carter Young went 2-for-4 with an inside-the-park, two-run home run – his third homer of the season, a double and three RBIs while Vance Tobol was 3-for-4 with his fourth homer of 2023, a double and four runs driven in, pacing Central Missouri at the plate.
- Starting pitcher Jake Wilson (1-0) earned the win on the mound in game one for the Mules, giving up two earned runs on three hits with two strikeouts and zero walks in four innings.
- In Central Missouri's 10-4 series finale win, the Mules scored a combined seven runs in the fifth and sixth innings to pull away for the victory.
- Jack Schark and Chase Wilcox each had three hits, with Schark tallying a double, Young homered for a fourth time in 2023 and Brennen van Breusegen added a triple, leading UCM in the batter's box in the nightcap.
- Reliever Jack Scott (1-0) picked up the victory on the rubber in game two, allowing no earned runs on one hit with two strikeouts and zero walks in two innings.
UCM During the Crookes Era
- Kyle Crookes has a 355-125 (.740) record in his 10th season as head coach at Central Missouri.
- 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 marked Crookes's fourth regular season and tournament titles. UCM's 2023 regular season and tournament titles were the fifth with Crookes as the skipper.
- Crookes is up to 10 MIAA Championships, five regular season and five tournament.
- He also has three regional championships to his credit in 2016, 2019 and 2021.
- During his six+ seasons at the helm, 89 players have earned All-MIAA honors, including 26 First Team nods and Players of the Year in Erik Webb in 2019, Dusty Stroup in 2021 and Brennen van Breusegen in 2022. Twenty-three players have earned All-Region honors, 10 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 2024 season marks the 68th in the storied history of Mules Baseball. During that span the Mules have compiled a 2,113-811-9 record in 2,933 games played.
- The Mules have won 40 or more games 22 times, including 14 straight seasons from 1999-2012, and have won 50 or more games nine times.
- The Mules have won or shared 29 MIAA regular season championships, 16 MIAA tournament championships, captured 19 regional titles and two national championships.
Mules Baseball by the Numbers
- 33 NCAA Regional Appearances (25 of the last 28 years)
- 29 MIAA Regular Season Titles (20 of the last 28)
- 16 MIAA Tournament Titles
- 19 Regional Championships
- 19 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 43 wins in 2023. The Mules have won at least 30 games in all nine 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 36 seasons.
- The Mules have won back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back MIAA Tournament Championships (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023).
Up Next
- The Mules travel to St. Louis, Mo., for a midweek game at Maryville Tuesday, Feb. 27, before trekking to Tahlequah, Okla., March 1-3 for a MIAA road series at Northeastern State.
