CARY, N.C. – The second-seeded and No. 2-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball Team fell to the top-seeded and No. 1-ranked University of Tampa Spartans in the final two games of the best-of-three National Championship Series, 10-8 and 11-5, Saturday, June 7, at the USA Baseball National Training Complex.
The Mules wrap up their season with an overall record of 48-14 and finish as the NCAA Division II National Runner-Up for the third time in program history. In addition, UCM captured its 21st NCAA-II Regional Championship and 31st MIAA Regular Season Title.
In game one Saturday, Central Missouri jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when
Grant Hollister hit a bases-clearing three-run double to centerfield and
Cole Kreisel smacked an RBI single up the middle. before Tampa (55-10) scored a run in the fifth and three in the sixth to tie the game, 4-4.
The Spartans took an 8-4 lead with four runs in the top of the eighth, but the Mules answered with four runs of their own in the bottom-half of the inning.
Chase Wilcox singled to centerfield, driving in
Chase Heath prior to Kriesel hitting an RBI single to left field, plating
Vance Tobol, and
Isaiah Keller belting a two-RBI single to left-center, bringing in
Brett Grupe and Wilcox, tying the game.
Tampa regained the lead with two runs in the top of the ninth inning and held UCM scoreless in the bottom of the ninth, sealing the win and forcing a winner-take-all game three in the best-of-three series.
Jacob Steele went 3-for-5 with a run,
Dayvin Johnson went 2-for-4 with a run, Heath was 2-for-3 with a run, Hollister was 2-for-3 with a double, run and three RBI, Kreisel was 2-for-5 with two runs batted in, and Keller drove in two runs, pacing Central Missouri at the plate in game one of the day.
UCM reliever
Sawyer Allen (7-1) took the loss on the mound after allowing two earned runs on two hits in the ninth inning.
In the winner-take-all nightcap, Tampa led, 5-1, going into the top of the eighth inning before the Mules scored three runs to trim the advantage to 5-4.
Tobol hit a lead-off home run to right-center, hit team-high 22nd of 2025, before Keller crushed a two-run homer to right-center, pulling UCM within one run of tying the game. It was Keller's 13th round-tripper of the season.
Tampa had an answer, though, and scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, extending its lead to 11-4.
Johnson hit an RBI double to left center in the top of the ninth inning for the Mules' fifth and final run of the game.
Johnson, Tobol, Hollister and Keller each had two hits, pacing UCM offensively in game two Saturday.
Central Missouri starting pitcher
Egan Keeler (4-1) suffered the setback on the rubber, surrendering three earned runs on two hits with one strikeout in 1 1/3 innings.
Hollister, Heath and relief pitcher
JD McReynolds were all named to the NCAA-II Baseball Championship All-Tournament Team for their performances during the tournament.
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