WARRENSBURG, Mo. – No. 2-ranked and top-seeded Central Missouri Mules baseball advanced to the 2024 NCAA-II Super Regionals after posting a 13-2 victory over the No. 11-ranked and fourth-seeded Augustana (S.D.) Vikings in the NCAA-II Central Regional semifinals Saturday, May 18, at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.
The Mules (50-8) will host sixth-seeded Arkansas-Monticello (35-22) in a best-of-three Super Regional series Friday, May 24, and Saturday, May 25, in Warrensburg. Game times will be announced at a later date. UAM defeated second-seeded Missouri Southern in the other Central Regional semifinal Saturday in Joplin, Mo. The winner of the best-of-three series will claim the NCAA-II Central Regional Championship and secure a spot in the NCAA-II College World Series.
Saturday's victory – the 50th of the season for UCM – marks the 10th time in program history the Mules have won at least 50 games in a season. Central Missouri last won 50 or more games in 2010 (52-11).Â
Central Missouri scored runs in eight of the nine innings in the win, including plating two each in the second and fourth, four in the fifth, and one each in the third, sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth.
Carter Young went 4-for-5 with his 16th home run of the season, a triple, three runs and three RBIs while
Josh Patrick was 3-for-4 with his 11th homer of 2024, two runs and two RBIs,
Max Holy was 3-for-4 with a triple, and
Chase Heath was 2-for-4 with his 15th home run of the season and three runs, leading UCM at the plate.
With Young's triple, the Mules set a new single season record for triples at 36.
Central Missouri starting pitcher
Jack Scott (5-1) earned the win on the mound, allowing just one earned run on six hits with four strikeouts and only one walk in 5 2/3 innings.
Luke Ballweg was 2-for-3 with a double, pacing the Vikings (47-10) in the batter's box.
Augustana starting pitcher J.D. Hennen (6-1) suffered the setback on the rubber after surrendering five earned runs on five hits with one strikeout and four walks in three innings of work.
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