UCM Mules baseball high fives
Andrew Mather | University Photographer

Baseball

No. 4 Mules Baseball Hosts No. 20 Pittsburg State for Weekend MIAA Series Feb. 28-March 2

Game 12: No. 3 Central Missouri (9-2, 3-0 MIAA) vs. No. 20 Pittsburg State (10-1, 2-1 MIAA)
Friday, Feb. 28 | 3 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Live Stats | Live Video (PPV) | Buy Tickets

Game 13: No. 3 Central Missouri vs. No. 20 Pittsburg State
Saturday, March 1 | 2 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Live Stats | Live Video (PPV) | Buy Tickets

Game 14: No. 3 Central Missouri vs. No. 20 Pittsburg State
Sunday, March 2 | 1 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Radio: 98.5 The BAR FM (Alex Kent, play-by-play)
Live Stats | Live Video (PPV) | Live Audio | Buy Tickets

2025 UCM Stats (XML) | 2025 UCM Roster
First Pitch
  • No. 4-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball (9-2, 3-0 MIAA) is set to host the No. 20-ranked Pittsburg State Gorillas (10-1, 2-1 MIAA) in a three-game MIAA series Friday, Feb. 28, through Sunday, March 2, at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg. 
  • UCM, which has won six consecutive games, is coming off a 7-6 win over Maryville in a midweek game Wednesday while the Gorillas posted an 11-5 victory over Rockhurst Wednesday in Kansas City, Mo.
  • Through 11 games, UCM is led at the plate by catcher/first baseman Chase Heath (.455 avg., 12 R, 20 H, 5 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 15 RBI, .682 SLG%, 5 BB, .490 OB%, 5 SB), infielder Jacob Steele (.318 avg., 6 R, 14 H, 1 2B, 2 3B, 12 RBI, 6 BB, .392 OB%, 2 SB), and outfielder Isaiah Keller (.317 avg., 10 R, 13 H, 2 2B, 6 RBI, 9 BB, .440 OB%, 7 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 .304 while limiting opponents to .239 hitting. The Mules have a 4.08 team ERA and a .988 fielding percentage. 
  • Through 11 games, Central Missouri is tied for third in the MIAA in hitting (.304), ranks third in pitching (4.08 ERA) and second in fielding (.988 pct.). Individually, Heath is third in the conference in hitting with his .455 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. 
Series History
  • The three-game series against Pittsburg State will mark meetings 108-110 in the all-time series going back to 1991. Central Missouri leads the series, 91-16, after going 4-0 against the Gorillas last season. UCM swept Pitt State in a three-game series in Warrensburg during the regular season, 9-1, 8-5 and 13-4, before taking down Pittsburg State in the MIAA tournament, 16-5 in eight innings. 
Last Time Out: No. 4 Mules Score Late to Defeat Maryville Wednesday, 7-6
  • Fourth-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball ran its winning streak to six games after scoring three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally and defeat the Maryville Saints, 7-6, in a midweek game played Wednesday, Feb. 26, at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.
  • Trailing 5-4 entering the bottom the eighth, Chase Heath belted a two-run, ground-rule double to left-center, scoring Cody Moore and Grant Hollister, putting UCM in front, 6-5. Jacob Steele capped the comeback inning for Central Missouri, scoring Cole Kreisel on a RBI single up the middle for the 7-5 advantage.
  • Steele went 4-for-5 with a triple, two runs and an RBI while Chase Wilcox was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI, and Heath was 1-for-5 with his go-ahead, two-run double, leading UCM offensively in the game.
  • Central Missouri reliever Egan Keeler (1-0) earned the win on the mound after allowing no earned runs on zero hits with one strikeout and no walks in an inning of work while Sawyer Allen picked up his first save of the season after giving up one earned run on one hit with one strikeout in the top of the ninth inning.
Notable Streaks Mules Baseball Announces 2025 Diamond Club Inductees, First Pitch Banquet Keynote Speaker
  • 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.
Preseason Honors
  • 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. 
Mules in the Rankings
  • UCM checks in at No. 4 in both the most recent NCBWA Division II Top 25 Poll and ABCA Division II Coaches' Poll. 
  • The Mules were picked first in the 2025 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. 
UCM During the Crookes Era
  • Kyle Crookes has a 407-135 (.751) 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.
Mules Baseball History
  • The 2025 season marks the 69th in the storied history of Mules Baseball. During that span the Mules have compiled a 2,165-821-9 record in 2,995 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).
Mules Baseball by the Numbers
  • 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
Quick Hits
  • 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.
Up Next
  • Central Missouri hosts Drury University in a non-conference midweek game Wednesday, March 5, at 3 p.m. in Warrensburg. 
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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 Junior
R/R
Nathan Hall

#35 Nathan Hall

RHP
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
Chase Heath

#10 Chase Heath

C
5' 10"
Senior
R/R
Egan Keeler

#44 Egan Keeler

LHP
5' 9"
Redshirt Sophomore
L/L
Jack Scott

#16 Jack Scott

RHP
6' 4"
Sophomore
R/R
Jacob Steele

#8 Jacob Steele

INF
6' 2"
Senior
R/R
Chase Wilcox

#25 Chase Wilcox

INF
6' 0"
Junior
L/R
Jake Wilson

#26 Jake Wilson

RHP
6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
Conner Wolf

#36 Conner Wolf

RHP
6' 3"
Senior
R/R

Players Mentioned

Brennen van Breusegen

#48 Brennen van Breusegen

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

#5 Brett Grupe

5' 10"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
INF
Nathan Hall

#35 Nathan Hall

6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
RHP
Chase Heath

#10 Chase Heath

5' 10"
Senior
R/R
C
Egan Keeler

#44 Egan Keeler

5' 9"
Redshirt Sophomore
L/L
LHP
Jack Scott

#16 Jack Scott

6' 4"
Sophomore
R/R
RHP
Jacob Steele

#8 Jacob Steele

6' 2"
Senior
R/R
INF
Chase Wilcox

#25 Chase Wilcox

6' 0"
Junior
L/R
INF
Jake Wilson

#26 Jake Wilson

6' 0"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
RHP
Conner Wolf

#36 Conner Wolf

6' 3"
Senior
R/R
RHP