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Baseball

No. 3 Mules Baseball Back Home for Tuesday Afternoon Tussle vs. Quincy

Game 27: No. 3 Central Missouri (22-4) vs. Quincy (7-12)
Tuesday, March 19 | 2 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins 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 (22-4) returns home to Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field and begins a five-game homestand with a non-conference contest vs. the Quincy Hawks (7-12) Tuesday afternoon, March 19, at 2 p.m.
  • The Mules are coming off a 2-1 series win at Washburn in Topeka, Kan., March 15-17. UCM won games one and two, 6-5 and 16-4 in seven innings, before dropping game three, 10-9. 
  • UCM had an 11-game winning streak snapped with Sunday's loss to Washburn.  
  • Through 26 games, UCM is paced at the plate by designated hitter Vance Tobol (.402 avg., 24 R, 35 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 34 RBI, .759 SLG%, 9 BB, 9 SB), outfielders Jack Schark (.333 avg., 23 R, 30 H, 9 2B, 5 HR, 22 RBI, .600 SLG%, 14 BB, 7 SB), Brennen van Breusegen (.438 avg., 28 R, 35 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 27 RBI, .825 SLG%, 20 BB, 8 SB) and Carter Young (.378 avg., 31 R, 37 H, 10 2B, 1 3B, 6 HR, 22 RBI, .684 SLG%, 23 BB, .10 SB), infielders Josh Patrick (.365 avg., 32 R, 31 H, 3 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 17 RBI, .671 SLG%, 20 BB, 11 SB), Jacob Steele (.319 avg., 30 R, 29 H, 5 2B, 6 HR, 26 RBI, 14 BB, 10 SB), Cole Moore (.345 avg., 24 R, 29 H, 7 2B, 4 3B, 1 HR, 22 RBI, 9 BB, 6 SB) and Max Holy (.333 avg., 32 R, 27 H, 5 2B, 6 HR, 32 RBI, .617 SLG%, 14 BB, 13 SB) and catcher Chase Heath (.434 avg., 24 R, 23 H, 6 2B, 7 HR, 26 RBI, .943 SLG%, 15 BB, 4 SB).
  • On the mound through 26 contests, the Mules are led by Conner Wolf (5-0, 3.00 ERA, 42.0 IP, 25 H, 14 R, 14 ER, 7 BB, 38 SO) and JD McReynolds (2-1, 3.60 ERA, 10.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 7 BB, 17 SO).
  • As a team through 26 games, Central Missouri is hitting .366 while holding opponents to a .262 average. In addition, UCM has a .986 fielding percentage and 5.85 team ERA with 26 games in the books. UCM ranks first in the MIAA in hitting (.366 avg.), seventh in pitching (5.85 ERA) and first in fielding (.986 pct.). 
Notable Streaks National Leaders
  • Through 26 games, the Mules lead all of NCAA-II in batting average (.366), fielding percentage (.986), hits (319), homers (55) and slugging percentage (.653).
Last Time Out: Washburn Scores Late to Snap No. 3 Mules Winning Streak Sunday, 10-9
  • Washburn's Jett Buck hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning, giving the Ichabods a 10-9, comeback win and snapping No. 3-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball's winning streak at 11 games Sunday, March 17, at Falley Field.
  • Brennen van Breusegen went 3-for-3 with his seventh homer of the season and three RBIs while Vance Tobol was 2-for-4 with his seventh home run of 2024 and three runs batted in, pacing UCM at the plate in the game.
  • Central Missouri reliever Harrison Babbitt (2-1) took the loss on the mound after giving up one earned run one hit with one strikeout in two thirds of an inning.
Weekly Honors for van Breusegen
  • Brennen van Breusegen was named the MIAA Hitter of the Week for his peformance on the baseball diamond during the week of March 11-17, it was announced Monday, March 18.
  • Van Breusegen hit an impressive .667 with 10 hits, six runs, one double, two home runs, eight RBIs, three walks, three stolen bases and just one strikeout in 15 at bats, helping the No. 3-ranked Mules go 3-1 last week, including a MIAA series win at Washburn March 15-17. In addition, he posted a 1.133 slugging percentage and .722 on-base percentage on the week. 
  • Van Breusegen went 4-for-5 with four RBIs, a double and home run in the Mules' 16-4, game two win at Washburn Saturday, March 16 and was 3-for-3 with a home run and three runs batted in in game three vs. the Ichabods Sunday, March 17.
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 March 13. 
  • The Mules were picked first in the MIAA Baseball Preseason Coaches' Poll.
Series History
  • Tuesday's midweek contest vs. Quincy will be the 13th meeting in the all-time series going back to 1982. UCM leads the series, 9-3. Last season, the Mules split two games with the Hawks, winning in Warrensburg, 15-1 in seven innings, and falling in Quincy, Ill., 8-6. 
UCM During the Crookes Era
  • Kyle Crookes has a 368-127 (.743) 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 2,126-813-9 record in 2,948 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 host Fort Hays State in a three-game MIAA series March 22-24 in Warrensburg. Game one is slated for 3 p.m. Friday, March 22, with game two at noon Saturday, March 23, and the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 24. 
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Players Mentioned

Brennen van Breusegen

#48 Brennen van Breusegen

OF
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
Harrison Babbitt

#34 Harrison Babbitt

RHP
6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
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
Cole Moore

#11 Cole Moore

INF
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
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

Players Mentioned

Brennen van Breusegen

#48 Brennen van Breusegen

6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
OF
Harrison Babbitt

#34 Harrison Babbitt

6' 5"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
RHP
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
Cole Moore

#11 Cole Moore

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
L/R
INF
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