WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Cole Kreisel hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning to lift No. 2-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball to a 7-6 victory over the Central Oklahoma Bronchos on Saturday afternoon, April 12, at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.
With the win, the Mules (27-9, 18-6 MIAA) secure a series win over the Bronchos (29-10, 19-8 MIAA). UCM and Central Oklahoma are scheduled to play the series finale of the three-game MIAA series Sunday, April 13, at 1 p.m. in Warrensburg.
After the Bronchos took a 6-5 lead in the top of the ninth inning,
Chase Wilcox and
Dayvin Johnson each worked walks, bringing
Grant Hollister to the plate with two outs and runners on first and second base. Hollister belted a 2-2 pitch down the right field line for a double, allowing Wilcox to cross home plate and tie the game, 6-6. Kreisel sent a 1-1 pitch through the right side of the infield the next at bat, bringing in Johnson from third base for the walk-off triumph.
Johnson ended the contest 3-for-4 with three runs while Hollister and Kreisel were both 2-for-4 with two RBI, and
Jacob Steele was 2-for-5, pacing UCM at the plate for the game.
Central Missouri reliever
Sawyer Allen (1-0) earned the win on the mound after giving up one unearned run on zero hits with one strikeout in 1 1/3 innings.
Ty Hammack went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, leading Central Oklahoma offensively.
UCO reliever Valek Cisneros (0-1) took the loss on the rubber, surrendering two earned runs on one hit with four walks and one strikeout in 1 1/3 innings of work.
Â
