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University of Central Missouri Athletics

UCM Mules baseball team during an MIAA college baseball game against the Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) Lions Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg, Missouri on April 28, 2024.
Andrew Mather Photography

Top-Seeded Mules Baseball Set to Face No. 8 Seeded Minnesota State in NCAA-II Central Region Tourney Opener

2024 NCAA-II Central Region Tournament (Double-Elimination)
Game 56: No. 1 Central Missouri (47-8) vs. No. 8 Minnesota State (37-18)
Thursday, May 16 | 2 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Radio: 1450 KOKO & 98.5 The BAR (Bob Jackson, pxp; Alex Kent, color commentary)
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2024 UCM Stats (XML) | 2024 UCM Roster | Record Book | NCAA-II Central Regional Info
First Pitch
  • MIAA Regular Season Champion and top-seeded Central Missouri Mules baseball (47-8) is scheduled to host the eighth-seeded Minnesota State Mavericks (37-18) in the opening game of the 2024 NCAA-II Central Region Tournament Thursday, May 16, at 2 p.m. at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg. 
  • As the one seed, UCM is hosting a four-team, double-elimination tournament in Warrensburg from May 16-19. The Mules and Mavericks are the first contest of the tournament while number four seeded Augustana (S.D.) and number five seeded Central Oklahoma will play game two Thursday at approximately 6 p.m. or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the UCM/MSU contest. The tournament will continue until Saturday, May 18, unless an if-necessary game seven is forced, which will be Sunday, May 19. 
  • This will mark the 34th time in program history Central Missouri has qualified for an NCAA-II Regional. It is also the 20th time UCM has served as a regional host. 
  • UCM is coming off a runner-up finish in the 2024 MIAA Baseball Championship Tournament May 9-11 in Pittsburg, Kan. The Mules dropped an 18-16 decision to Missouri Southern in the tournament title game Saturday, May 11. 
  • Through 55 games, UCM is paced at the plate by designated hitter Vance Tobol (.339 avg., 45 R, 57 H, 13 2B, 6 3B, 9 HR, 53 RBI, .649 SLG%, 20 BB, 19 SB), outfielders Jack Schark (.344 avg., 47 R, 63 H, 15 2B, 2 3B, 9 HR, 46 RBI, .596 SLG%, 33 BB, 14 SB), Brennen van Breusegen (.384 avg., 65 R, 73 H, 12 2B, 5 3B, 19 HR, 61 RBI, .800 SLG%, 33 BB, 17 SB) and Carter Young (.364 avg., 77 R, 80 H, 22 2B, 3 3B, 15 HR, 56 RBI, .695 SLG%, 46 BB, 27 SB), infielders Josh Patrick (.356 avg., 53 R, 58 H, 6 2B, 3 3B, 10 HR, 40 RBI, .613 SLG%, 32 BB, 18 SB), Jacob Steele (.361 avg., 67 R, 69 H, 12 2B, 1 3B, 12 HR, 59 RBI, .623 SLG%, 27 BB, 19 SB), Cole Moore (.356 avg., 54 R, 63 H, 14 2B, 7 3B, 4 HR, 46 RBI, .582 SLG%, 32 BB, 8 SB) and Max Holy (.365 avg., 71 R, 69 H, 13 2B, 3 3B, 14 HR, 68 RBI, .688 SLG%, 36 BB, 29 SB) and catcher Chase Heath (.389 avg., 48 R, 49 H, 11 2B, 13 HR, 51 RBI, .786 SLG%, 24 BB, 6 SB).
  • On the mound through 55 contests, the Mules are led by Conner Wolf 11-0, 3.86 ERA, 4 CG, 81.2 IP, 68 H, 37 R, 35 ER, 14 BB, 77 SO), Jack Scott (4-1, 4.02 ERA, 40.1 IP, 36 H, 20 R, 18 ER, 14 BB, 35 SO), Jack Kriesman (5-1, 4.19 ERA, 53.2 IP, 53 H, 26 R, 25 ER, 21 BB, 45 SO) and Jake Wilson (5-0, 4.44 ERA, 52.2 IP, 44 H, 28 R, 26 ER, 17 BB, 44 SO). 
  • As a team through 55 games, Central Missouri is hitting .357 while holding opponents to a .258 average. In addition, UCM has a .981 fielding percentage and 5.48 team ERA with 55 games in the books. UCM ranks first in the MIAA in hitting (.357 avg.), fourth in pitching (5.48 ERA) and first in fielding (.981 pct.). 
Mules Baseball Has Four Tabbed NCBWA All-Central Region; Crookes, Wolf Earn Top Accolades
  • The 2024 MIAA Regular Season Champion Mules baseball team had four student-athletes named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) All-Central Region Teams, it was announced Wednesday, May 15. In addition, UCM head coach Kyle Crookes was tabbed the Central Region Coach of the Year and starting pitcher Conner Wolf was voted the region's Pitcher of the Year.
  • Joining Wolf on the first team were outfielders Brennen van Breusegen and Carter Young while first baseman Josh Patrick was a second team selection.
Mules Baseball Earns Numerous All-MIAA Accolades
  • Brennen van Breusegen was voted the Player of the Year, Conner Wolf was tabbed the Pitcher of the Year, Jack Scott earned Co-Freshman of the Year and Kyle Crookes garnered Coach of the Year accolades to highlight numerous All-MIAA postseason accolades for the 2024 MIAA Regular Season Champion Central Missouri Mules baseball team, it was announced Thursday, May 2.
  • Van Breusegen (OF), Wolf (SP), Chase Heath (C), Josh Patrick (1B), Max Holy (SS), Carter Young (OF) and Vance Tobol (DH) earned First Team All-MIAA honors while Jake Wilson (SP), Cole Moore (2B), Jacob Steele (3B) and Jack Schark (OF) were Second Team All-MIAA selections. Scott (SP) earned Third Team All-MIAA accolades while Harrison Babbitt (RP) was an Honorable Mention All-MIAA recipient.
  • Van Breusegen (OF), Wolf (SP), Heath (C), Moore (2B) and Young (OF) all earned All-MIAA Gold Glove team honors for their defensive performance throughout the regular season.
Scorching Offense
  • Through 55 games, UCM has outscored its opponents, 594-308. The Mules have scored at least 10 runs in 32 of their 56 contests this season. 
  • The Mules have hit a single-season record 115 home runs and stolen a season-record 178 bases so far this season. 
  • For the first time in program history, Central Missouri has compiled at least 100 doubles (129), 100 homers (115) and 100 stolen bases (178). 
Notable Streaks National Leaders
  • Through 55 games, the Mules lead all of NCAA-II in batting average (.357), fielding percentage (.981), homers (115), triples (34), hits (671), runs scored (594) and slugging percentage (.645).
  • Individually, Cole Moore is third in triples (7) and Carter Young is fourth in runs scored (77). 
Weekly Honors Mules in the Rankings
  • Central Missouri is No. 2 in both the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) NCAA Division II Poll unveiled May 15 and the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) NCAA Division II Poll released May 13.
Series History
  • Thursday's NCAA-II Central Regional opening round game vs. Minnesota State will mark the 28th meeting in the all-time series. The Mules lead the series, 20-7. The Mules and Mavericks last met during the 2022 NCAA-II Central Regional in Warrensburg, with UCM posting a 9-6 victory on May 20. 
UCM During the Crookes Era
  • Kyle Crookes has a 393-131 (.750) 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. The 2024 regular season crown is the sixth for Crookes. 
  • Crookes is up to 11 MIAA Championships, six 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, 102 players have earned All-MIAA honors, including 33 First Team nods, Players of the Year in Erik Webb in 2019, Dusty Stroup in 2021 and Brennen van Breusegen in 2022 and 2024, Pitcher of the Year Conner Wolf in 2024, and Co-Freshman of the Year Jack Scott in 2024. 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 2,151-817-9 record in 2,977 games played.
  • The Mules have won 40 or more games 23 times, including 14 straight seasons from 1999-2012, and have won 50 or more games nine times.
  • The Mules have won or shared 30 MIAA regular season championships, 16 MIAA tournament championships, captured 19 regional titles and two national championships.
Mules Baseball by the Numbers
  • 34 NCAA Regional Appearances (26 of the last 29 years)
  • 30 MIAA Regular Season Titles
  • 16 MIAA Tournament Titles
  • 19 Regional Championships
  • 20 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 10 full seasons under Coach Crookes. They won 20 of 23 games in 2020 before the season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • 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 37 seasons.
Up Next
  • If the Mules defeat Minnesota State Thursday, they will advance in the NCAA-II Central Regional double-elimination winner's bracket and face the winner of the No. 4 seed Augustana and No. 5 seed Central Oklahoma contest Friday, May 17, at 6 p.m. in Warrensburg. Should UCM lose, they'd drop into the elimination bracket and would face the Augie/UCO loser in an elimination contest at 2 p.m. Friday. 
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