UCM Mules outfielder Ayden Blachowicz (9) during a MIAA college baseball game against the Washburn University (WU) Ichabods at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg, Missouri on March 26, 2025.
Andrew Mather | University Photographer

Baseball

No. 3 Mules Baseball Hosts Washburn Wednesday

Game 42: No. 3 Central Missouri (32-9, 23-6 MIAA) vs. Washburn (22-23, 15-17 MIAA) 
Wednesday, April 23 | 4 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
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First Pitch
  • No. 3-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball (32-9, 23-6 MIAA) is slated to host the Washburn Ichabods (22-23, 15-17 MIAA) in a midweek MIAA contest Wednesday, April 23, at 4 p.m. at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg.
  • The Mules are coming off a three-game series sweep at Missouri Southern April 17-18, winning 11-5, 15-12 and 18-2 in seven innings.
  • Through 41 games, UCM is led at the plate by  infielders Jacob Steele (.398 avg., 44 R, 68 H, 9 2B, 3 3B, 8 HR, 44 RBI, .626 SLG%, 21 BB, .465 OB%, 6 SB), Cole Kreisel (.342 avg., 35 R, 40 H, 8 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 19 RBI, .504 SLG%, 26 BB, .504 OB%, 8 SB) and Grant Hollister (.346 avg., 24 R, 37 H, 9 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 25 RBI, 6 BB, .433 OB%, 8 SB), and outfielders Vance Tobol (.357 avg., 52 R, 60 H, 11 2B, 3 3B, 16 HR, 53 RBI, .744 SLG%, 18 BB, .435 OB%, 15 SB), Dayvin Johnson (.357 avg., 48 R, 55 H, 13 2B, 3 3B, 11 HR, 48 RBI, .695 SLG%, 13 BB, .407 OB%, 9 SB) and Isaiah Keller (.340 avg., 32 R, 50 H, 8 2B, 1 3B, 10 HR, 45 RBI, .612 SLG%, 15 BB, .396 OB%, 13 SB). On the mound, the Mules are paced by right-handers Jack Scott (4-1, 3.06 ERA, 53.0 IP, 52 H, 21 R, 18 ER, 21 BB, 48 SO, .257 opp. avg.), Evan O'Toole (5-0, 3.93 ERA, 50.1 IP, 43 H, 26 R, 22 ER, 20 BB, 49 SO, .232 opp. avg.), JD McReynolds (6-0, 1.38 ERA, 3 SV, 32.2 IP, 19 H, 7 R, 5 ER, 7 BB, 52 SO, .162 opp. avg.) and Jake Wilson (4-0, 4.01 ERA, 33.2 IP, 31 H, 20 R, 15 ER, 18 BB, 47 SO, .246 opp. avg.). 
  • As a team, UCM is hitting .324 while limiting opponents to .242 hitting. The Mules have a 4.58 team ERA and a .971 fielding percentage. 
  • Through 41 games, Central Missouri is second in the MIAA in hitting (.324) and pitching (4.58 ERA) and tied for sixth in fielding (.971 pct.).
  • UCM in the latest MIAA individual statistics:
    • Hitting: Jacob Steele (2nd in batting average, .398; 2nd in hits, 68); Vance Tobol (3rd in slugging percentage, .744; 4th in homers, 16; 5th in RBI, 53; 5th in runs, 52; T-4th in stolen bases, 15); Dayvin Johnson (6th in slugging percentage, .695; T-7th in runs, 48, T-8th in home runs, 11); Cole Kreisel (6th in on-base percentage, .493); Chase Wilcox (7th in stolen bases, 14)
    • Pitching: Jack Scott (4th in ERA, 3.06); Evan O'Toole (7th in opp. batting avg., .232; 10th in ERA, 3.91); JD McReynolds (T-6th in saves, 3; T-5th in wins, 6); Sam Wyrick (T-6th in saves, 3)
  • In the latest NCAA-II statistics, Tobol is 19th in home runs (16) while Steele is 12th in hits per game (1.70) and 25th in hits (68). 
Series History vs. Washburn
  • Wednesday's midweek contest vs. the Ichabods will mark the 130th meeting in the all-time series going back to 1983. UCM leads the series, 99-30. The Mules are 1-1 against the Ichabods so far this season, winning, 5-1, on March 26 in Warrensburg and falling, 14-7, on April 9 in Topeka, Kan. 
Keller Earns Weekly Honors
  • Redshirt senior outfielder Isaiah Keller was named the NCBWA Central Region Player of the Week and MIAA Hitter of the Week for his performance during the week of April 14-20. 
  • Keller hit a sizzling .500 with 11 hits, including six home runs, one double and one triple, going along with 20 RBI, eight runs scored, a 1.455 slugging percentage and .500 on-base percentage in four games. 
  • He went 3-for-7 and was a single shy of hitting for the cycle in UCM's 17-10 win at Northwest Missouri State April 15, going 3-for-7 with a homer, double and triple while tallying five RBI before going 3-for-5 with a home run and driving in four runs in the Mules' 11-5 victory at Missouri Southern in game one of a three-game MIAA series April 17. 
  • Keller capped off his week by going 2-for-5 with two homers and six RBI in game one of a doubleheader April 18 before going 3-for-5 with two home runs and five runs batted in game two of twin bill against the Lions April 18. 
Tobol Eclipses 200 Career Hits; Steele Approaching Milestone
  • Vance Tobol tallied his 200th career hit as a Mule on a single to left field in the fourth inning of game one of a doubleheader Friday, April 18, at Missouri Southern. Entering the Wednesday, he has 203 career hits. 
  • Jacob Steele is just five hits away from 200 in his UCM tenure. He has 195 entering the contest against Washburn. 
Swinging for the Fences!
  • The Mules hit 16 home runs and scored 44 runs in their three-game series sweep at Missouri Southern  April 17-18 in Joplin, Mo. In UCM's doubleheader sweep alone against the Lions April 18, Central Missouri had 11 homers and plated 33 runs. 
Notable Streaks Second and Eighth-Inning Dominance
  • Through 41 games, the Mules are outscoring their opponents in the second inning, 48-17, and eighth-inning, 54-23. Overall, UCM is outscoring its adversaries, 368-217 on the season. 
Getting on the Board Early
  • Central Missouri is 19-2 on the season when it scores in the first inning and 22-5 when it scores first in a game. 
Crookes Becomes All-Time Winningest Coach in Mules Baseball History
  • Eleventh-season head coach Kyle Crookes became the winningest coach in Mules baseball history after earning career win number 419 Friday, March 28, vs. No. 24 Fort Hays State (recap).
  • Crookes passed former UCM head coach Brad Hill, who went 418-91 from 1995-2003. Entering the weekend, Crookes has a career record of 427-142. 
Mules in the Rankings
  • Central Missouri is ranked number five in the latest American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division II Poll released April 22 and is third in the most recent National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Division II Poll unveiled Wednesday, April 16. 
  • The Mules were picked first in the 2025 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. 
UCM During the Crookes Era
  • Kyle Crookes has a 430-142 (.752) 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 winningest coach in program history.
  • 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 12 MIAA Championships, six regular season and six 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 2,188-828-9 record in 3,025 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 11 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
  • The Mules wrap up their regular season home schedule with a three-game series against Northeastern State April 25-27 at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field. 
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Players Mentioned

Brennen van Breusegen

#48 Brennen van Breusegen

OF
6' 0"
Redshirt Junior
R/R
Ayden Blachowicz

#9 Ayden Blachowicz

OF
6' 2"
Senior
L/R
Will Krzykowski

#23 Will Krzykowski

OF
6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
JD McReynolds

#47 JD McReynolds

RHP
6' 4"
Senior
L/R
Jack Scott

#16 Jack Scott

RHP
6' 4"
Sophomore
R/R
Jacob Steele

#8 Jacob Steele

INF
6' 2"
Senior
R/R
Vance Tobol

#22 Vance Tobol

OF
6' 1"
Redshirt 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
Ayden Blachowicz

#9 Ayden Blachowicz

6' 2"
Senior
L/R
OF
Will Krzykowski

#23 Will Krzykowski

6' 1"
Redshirt Sophomore
R/R
OF
JD McReynolds

#47 JD McReynolds

6' 4"
Senior
L/R
RHP
Jack Scott

#16 Jack Scott

6' 4"
Sophomore
R/R
RHP
Jacob Steele

#8 Jacob Steele

6' 2"
Senior
R/R
INF
Vance Tobol

#22 Vance Tobol

6' 1"
Redshirt Senior
R/R
OF
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