CLAREMORE, Okla. – Second-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball tallied 20 hits as it routed the Rogers State Hillcats, 18-1 in eight innings, in the series finale of a three-game MIAA series Sunday, March 23, at the RCB Bank Sports Complex.
The Mules (19-6, 10-3 MIAA) secure a 2-1 series win with the victory over the Hillcats (17-8, 8-5 MIAA) and are slated to begin an eight-game homestand at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field Wednesday, March 26, with a MIAA midweek game against Washburn at 3 p.m.
UCM led 3-1 before exploding for five runs in the top of the seventh inning and 10 runs in the top of the eighth inning on its way to the 17-run, run-rule triumph.
Vance Tobol went 3-for-5 with three runs, Â a triple, two homers, including a grand slam, and nine RBI while
Jacob Steele was 3-for-5 with three runs, a homer and RBI,
Dayvin Johnson was 4-for-6 with three runs and a pair of runs batted in, and
Isaiah Keller was a perfect 3-for-3 with a run, double and RBI, leading Central Missouri at the plate.
The pair of homers for Tobol upped his team-best season tally to 13 while Steele now has four round-trippers in 2025. Tobol's nine RBI fell one short of tying the program single-game record of 10 set by former Mule Rick Ladjevich in 1994 against Truman State.
UCM starting pitcher
Jack Scott (2-1) earned the victory on the mound after giving up one earned run on four hits with five walks and five strikeouts in six innings.
RSU starter Christopher Spry (4-1) suffered the setback on the rubber, surrendering three runs – one earned – on six hits with two walks and three strikeouts in six innings of work.
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