CARY, N.C. – No. 2-seeded and second-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball kept its 2025 season alive after posting a 12-8 victory over the No. 6-seeded and eighth-ranked East Stroudsburg (Pa.) Warriors in an elimination game at the NCAA-II College World Series Tuesday, June 3, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
The Mules (45-12) will face third-seeded and third-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne (50-13) Wednesday, June 4, at 12:30 p.m. CT (1:30 p.m. ET) in Cary in another elimination game.
Central Missouri scored a combined eight runs in the top of the first and second innings while limiting East Stroudsburg (41-16) to two runs in the first and third innings for an 8-2 lead.
Chase Heath belted an RBI double to left-center for UCM's first run of the game before
Grant Hollister smacked a two-run double to right-center for Central Missouri's three, first-inning runs.
Heath and Hollister hit sacrifice flies for the Mules' first two runs of the five-run second inning prior to
Vance Tobol crossing home plate on a Warrior wild pitch and
Isaiah Keller hitting a two-RBI double to left-center for the final three runs of the inning.
The Mules kept rolling in the top of the fourth, plating four runs when Keller hit an RBI infield single to third base that drove in
Chase Wilcox, Hollister scored on a East Stroudsburg error, and
Will Krzykowski crushed his first-career homer – a two-run home run to left field – ballooning the Central Missouri lead to 12-2.
The Warriors plated two runs in the bottom of the fourth, one run in the seventh and three in the ninth inning, but that was it, sealing the 12-8 triumph for the Mules.
Jacob Steele went 2-for-6 with two doubles and two runs, Heath was 2-for-4 with a double, two RBI and run, Tobol was 3-for-5 with two doubles and two runs, Hollister was 1-for-3 with a double and three runs batted in,
Cole Kreisel was 1-for-2 with a run, Keller was 2-for-4 with a double, run and three RBI, and Krzykowski was 1-for-4 with a home run, run and pair of RBI, pacing UCM at the plate in the win.
Making his first appearance on the mound since May 2, right-handed starting pitcher
Evan O'Toole tossed 3 2/3 innings, allowing four runs – three earned – on six hits with two strikeouts while left-handed reliever
Egan Keeler (4-0) earned the victory on the rubber after giving up no earned runs on just one hit with three strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings of work.
Dennis Pierce was 3-for-6 with a double, two runs and two RBI, leading the Warriors offensively.
East Stroudsburg pitcher Peyton Brannock (7-3) suffered the setback after surrendering three earned runs on four hits with one walk and one strikeout in one inning.
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