Third-Ranked Mules Baseball Back Home for Midweek Game vs. Maryville Wednesday

Baseball | 2/25/2025 1:05:00 PM

• Third-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball (8-2) returns home to Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg to host the Maryville Saints (2-2) in a midweek, non-conference game Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 26, at 3 p.m.
• UCM, winners of its last five games, is coming off a three-game, MIAA series sweep of Missouri Western Feb. 23-24 in St. Joseph, Mo. Central Missouri won game one, 7-1, game two, 14-8, and the series finale, 3-2. 
• Through 10 games, UCM is led at the plate by catcher/first baseman Chase Heath (.487 avg., 12 R, 19 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 13 RBI, .718 SLG%, 5 BB, .522 OB%, 5 SB) and outfielders Isaiah Keller (.324 avg., 10 R, 12 H, 2 2B, 6 RBI, 9 BB, .457 OB%, 5 SB) and Vance Tobol (.311 avg., 12 R, 14 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 11 RBI, .578 SLG%, 4 BB, .373 OB%, 3 SB). On the mound, the Mules are paced by right-handers Evan O'Toole (2-0, 2.08 ERA, 13.0 IP, 8 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 6 BB, 18 SO, .190 opp. avg.), Nathan Hall (1-0, 2.77 ERA, 13.0 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 6 BB, 16 SO, .227 opp. avg.) and Jake Wilson (1-0, 3.24 ERA, 8.1 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 12 SO, .207 opp. avg.). 
• As a team, UCM is hitting .305 while limiting opponents to .239 hitting. The Mules have a 3.8 team ERA and a .987 fielding percentage. 
• Through 10 games, Central Missouri is third in the MIAA in hitting (.305), fourth in pitching (3.89 ERA) and second in fielding (.987 pct.). Individually, Heath is second in the conference in hitting with his .487 batting average and O'Toole is seventh in pitching with his 2.08 ERA. 
• Central Missouri is coming off a 2024 season that saw it compile an overall record of 52-10 and a MIAA record of 29-4. The Mules captured their 30th overall and fifth straight MIAA Regular Season Championship and 20th NCAA-II Regional Title, advancing to the Division II World Series for the 20th time in program history. 

• No. 3-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball completed a three-game, MIAA series sweep of the Missouri Western Griffons with a pair of victories Monday, Feb. 24, at the Spring Sports Complex. UCM won game one, 14-8, before taking the nightcap, 3-2.
• In the Mules' 14-8, comeback victory in game one, Central Missouri used a four-run top of the eighth inning to rally from an 8-6 deficit before tacking on an additional four runs in the top of the ninth for the 14-8 triumph.
• Grant Hollister belted a RBI double to left field for the opening run of the eighth inning before Brett Grupe smacked a single to shortstop that brought in Hollister, knotting the game, 8-8. Cole Kreisel delivered the go-ahead hit and scored Grupe on a RBI triple to centerfield. Kreisel was able to cross home plate on a Griffon error, upping the UCM lead to 10-8.
• Chase Heath crushed his first home run of the season – a lead-off, solo shot to left field – to open the Central Missouri four-run ninth inning prior to Grupe scoring Will Krzykowski on a sacrifice fly and Vance Tobol crushing a two-run double to left-center, giving the Mules their 14 runs.
• Kreisel went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, the go-ahead RBI and a triple while Hollister was also a flawless 3-for-3 with two RBI and a double, and Krzykowski was 3-for-4 with a triple, pacing the Mules at the plate in the opener. Heath added three RBI and two hits, including his home run, and Tobol had a pair of hits, including a double, and drove in two runs, respectively.
• Central Missouri reliever Jake Wilson (1-0) earned the victory on the mound after allowing one earned run on two hits with three strikeouts and one walk in three innings.
• In Central Missouri's 3-2 triumph in the second game, UCM broke a 2-2 tie with a run in the top of the eighth after Chase Wilcox hit an RBI single to left-center, scoring Isaiah Keller for what proved to the game-winning run.
• Wilcox went 1-for-1, Heath was 4-for-5 and Grant Hollister and Keller each had two hits, leading the Mules in the batter's box in game two.
• Central Missouri reliever Chris Massey (1-0) secured the win on the mound in the nightcap, throwing 3 2/3 shutout and hitless innings with a career-high nine strikeouts and zero walks on 48 pitches.

• The University of Central Missouri Mules baseball program has announced the newest class of inductees into the Mules Baseball Diamond Club as well as the keynote speaker for the annual First Pitch Banquet.
• Entering the Diamond Club this year are former Mules standout student-athletes Bret Schwartz, Mason Janvrin and Brad Wilson, and former longtime Mules baseball radio broadcaster Bob Jackson.  
• This year's keynote speaker at the First Pitch Banquet, which is scheduled for Saturday, April 5, at 5 p.m. inside the Jerry M. Hughes Athletics Center in Warrensburg, is MLB Hall of Famer George Brett.
• Register for the First Pitch Banquet by clicking here.

• Entering the 2025 season, UCM baseball welcomes back three position starters, including All-MIAA performers Chase Heath (.378 avg., 55 R, 59 H, 13 2B, 16 HR, 62 RBI, .769 SLG%, 25 BB, 15 SO, .466 OB%, 6 SB), Jacob Steele (.362 avg., 78 R, 77 H, 12 2B, 1 3B, 13 HR, 64 RBI, .610 SLG%, 34 BB, 30 SO, .450 OB%, 21 SB) and Vance Tobol (.342 avg., 60 R, 64 H, 15 2B, 6 3B, 11 HR, 59 RBI, .643 SLG%, 22 BB, 44 SO, .415 OB%, 22 SB). 
• On the mound, Central Missouri welcomes back four starting pitchers, including All-American and Central Region and MIAA Pitcher of the Year Conner Wolf (12-0, 4.05 ERA, 4 CG, 2 SHO, 97.2 IP, 82 H, 46 R, 44 ER, 16 BB, 90 SO, .226 opp. avg.), MIAA Freshman of the Year Jack Scott (5-2, 3.71 ERA, 53.1 IP, 46 H, 25 R, 22 ER, 16 BB, 49 SO, .224 opp. avg.), All-MIAA starting pitcher Jake Wilson (5-0, 4.26 ERA, 1 SV, 57.0 IP, 49 H, 29 R, 27 ER, 18 BB, 48 SO, .233 opp. avg.) and Jack Kreisman (6-1, 4.36 ERA, 64.0 IP, 68 H, 33 R, 31 ER, 23 BB, 50 SO). In addition, the Mules return three relievers who threw at least 15 innings last season, including All-American closer JD McReynolds (8-2, 3.25 ERA, 4 SV, 27.2 IP, 16 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 24  BB, 49 SO, .170 opp. avg.), Bryce Taylor (4-0, 5.48 ERA, 44.1 IP, 52 H, 30 R, 27 ER, 15 BB, 35 SO, .291 opp. avg.) and Jonah Walker (2-1, 5.77 ERA, 1 SV, 34.1 IP, 35 H, 23 R, 22 ER, 15 BB, 25 SO, .271 opp. avg.). 
• UCM will have several new faces for 2025, including 10 transfers and 13 high school freshmen. 

• Starting pitcher Conner Wolf was named a NCBWA Preseason First Team All-American. 
• Wolf and infielder Jacob Steele were both named to the National College Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Preseason All-Central Region Team. 

• UCM checks in at No. 3 in the most recent NCBWA Division II Top 25 Poll and is No. 4 in the latest ABCA Division II Coaches' Poll. 
• The Mules were picked first in the 2025 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. 

• Wednesday's midweek contests against the Maryville Saints will mark meeting four in the all-time series dating back to 2022. The Mules are a perfect 3-0 in the series. Last season, Central Missouri posted a 16-9 victory over Maryville in St. Louis, Mo. 

• Kyle Crookes has a 406-135 (.750) record in his 11th season as head coach at Central Missouri. Crookes earned his 400th career win in UCM's 11-8 victory over Jefferson in Houston, Texas, Feb. 2. 
• Crookes is the second winningest coach in program history, trailing just former UCM head coach Brad Hill, who posted a 418-91 record from 1995-2003. 
• 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 was the sixth for Crookes. 
• Crookes is up to 11 MIAA Championships, six regular season and five tournament.
• He also has four regional championships to his credit in 2016, 2019, 2021 and 2024.
• During his 10 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-nine players have earned All-Region honors, 13 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.

• The 2025 season marks the 69th in the storied history of Mules Baseball. During that span the Mules have compiled a 2,164-821-9 record in 2,994 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 10 times.
• The Mules have won or shared 30 MIAA regular season championships, 16 MIAA tournament championships, captured 20 regional titles and two national championships (1994, 2003).

• 34 NCAA Regional Appearances (26 of the last 29 years)
• 30 MIAA Regular Season Titles
• 16 MIAA Tournament Titles
• 20 Regional Championships
• 20 Regionals as host site
• 16 Top Five national finishes
• 5 Third place finishes
• 2 National Runners Up finishes
• 2 National Championships

• Central Missouri totaled 52 wins in 2024. 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 20th trip to the NCAA-II College World Series in 2024. 
• The Mules have finished with a winning record in each of the last 37 seasons.

• The Mules return to MIAA play, hosting Pittsburg State in a three-game conference series in Warrensburg Feb. 28 through March 2 at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.