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Baseball

No. 3 Mules Baseball Travels to Maryville University for First Midweek Game of Season Tuesday

Game 15: No. 3 Central Missouri (11-3) at Maryville (5-3)
Tuesday, Feb. 27 | 2 p.m. | St. Louis, Mo. (Weber Baseball Field)
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2024 UCM Stats (XML) | NCBWA Poll | 2024 UCM Roster | Record Book
First Pitch
  • No. 3-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball (11-3) is scheduled to travel to St. Louis, Mo., for its first midweek game of the 2024 season Tuesday, Feb. 27, at 2 p.m. against the Maryville University Saints (5-3). 
  • The Mules are coming off a 2-1 series win over No. 9-ranked Central Oklahoma Feb. 23-25 in Warrensburg. UCM won game one, 15-2 in seven innings and game two, 6-5, before dropping the series finale, 17-7 in eight innings. 
  • Central Missouri has won 10 of its last 11 games going into Tuesday. 
  • Through 14 games, UCM is paced at the plate by designated hitter Vance Tobol (.395 avg., 9 R, 17 H, 2 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 12 RBI, .767 SLG%, 5 BB, 2 SB), outfielders Jack Schark (.367 avg., 11 R, 18 H, 6 2B, 3 HR, 8 RBI, .673 SLG%, 7 BB, 5 SB), Brennen van Breusegen (.361 avg., 10 R, 13 H, 3 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 10 RBI, .806 SLG%, 10 BB, 3 SB) and Carter Young (.327 avg., 11 R, 17 H, 6 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 15 RBI, .712 SLG%, 9 BB, .4 SB), infielders Josh Patrick (.404 avg., 17 R, 19 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 12 RBI, .894 SLG%, 9 BB, 6 SB) and Jacob Steele (.349 avg., 13 R, 15 H, 3 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 7 BB, 5 SB) and catcher Chase Heath (.381 avg., 11 R, 8 H, 3 2B, 2 HR, 9 RBI, .810 SLG%, 10 BB, 2 SB).
  • On the mound through 14 contests, the Mules are led by Conner Wolf (3-0, 3.22 ERA, 22.1 IP, 12 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 5 BB, 26 SO), Jonah Walker (1-1, 1.64 ERA, 11.0 IP,  5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 11 BB, 10 SO) and Bryce Taylor (0-0, 2.16 ERA, 8.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 10 SO). 
  • As a team through 14 games, Central Missouri is hitting .344 while holding opponents to a .236 average. In addition, UCM has a .979 fielding percentage with 14 games in the books. UCM ranks first in the MIAA in hitting (.344 avg.), sixth in pitching (5.19 ERA) and first in fielding (.979 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.
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
  • Tuesday's game at Maryville will mark the third meeting in the all-time series going back to 2022. UCM is 2-0 all-time in the series after defeating the Saints in Warrensburg last season, 8-7.
UCM During the Crookes Era
  • Kyle Crookes has a 357-126 (.739) 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 2,115-812-9 record in 2,936 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 head to Tahlequah, Okla., March 1-3 for their first MIAA road series of the season at Northeastern State.
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Players Mentioned

Brennen van Breusegen

#48 Brennen van Breusegen

OF
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
Brett Grupe

#5 Brett Grupe

INF
5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
Chase Heath

#10 Chase Heath

C
5' 10"
Junior
R/R
Max Holy

#7 Max Holy

INF
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
JD McReynolds

#47 JD McReynolds

RHP
6' 4"
Junior
L/R
Jack Schark

#1 Jack Schark

INF
5' 10"
Junior
R/R
Jacob Steele

#8 Jacob Steele

INF
6' 2"
Junior
R/R
Vance Tobol

#22 Vance Tobol

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

#48 Brennen van Breusegen

OF
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
Jonah Walker

#43 Jonah Walker

LHP
6' 2"
Sophomore
L/L

Players Mentioned

Brennen van Breusegen

#48 Brennen van Breusegen

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
OF
Brett Grupe

#5 Brett Grupe

5' 10"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
INF
Chase Heath

#10 Chase Heath

5' 10"
Junior
R/R
C
Max Holy

#7 Max Holy

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
INF
JD McReynolds

#47 JD McReynolds

6' 4"
Junior
L/R
RHP
Jack Schark

#1 Jack Schark

5' 10"
Junior
R/R
INF
Jacob Steele

#8 Jacob Steele

6' 2"
Junior
R/R
INF
Vance Tobol

#22 Vance Tobol

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

#48 Brennen van Breusegen

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
OF
Jonah Walker

#43 Jonah Walker

6' 2"
Sophomore
L/L
LHP