Andrew Mather | University Photographer

No. 5 Mules Open MIAA Play with Three-Game Series at Northeastern State Feb. 20-22

2/19/2026 9:09:00 AM

First Pitch

The No. 5-ranked Central Missouri Mules Baseball Team (8-2, 0-0 MIAA) is set to open its 2026 MIAA schedule with a three-game series at Northeastern State (4-5, 0-0 MIAA) Feb. 20-22 at Rousey Field in Tahlequah, Okla. The series opener is set for 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20, with game two at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21, and the series finale at 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22.
The Mules are coming off a doubleheader sweep at Southwest Baptist on Friday, Feb. 13, in Bolivar, Mo., winning 14-4 and 15-6 in eight innings.
Ten games into the season, UCM is paced offensively by outfielders Ryker Edwards (.394 avg., .868 OPS, 8 R, 13 H, 1 2B, 3 BB, .444 OB%, 3 SB) and Kaiden Ashton (.333 avg., .844 OPS, 7 R, 12 H, 2 2B, 11 RBI, 7 BB, .455 OB%, 5 SB), and infielders Cole Funkhouser (.524 avg., 1.204 OPS, 11 R, 11 H, 1 2B, 6 RBI, .571 SLG%, 8 BB, .633 OB%, 7 SB), Evan Vienhage (.424 avg., 1.106 OPS, 7 R, 14 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 10 RBI, .606 SLG%, 4 BB, .500 OB%, 3 SB) and Grant Hollister (.381 avg., 1.055 OPS, 11 R, 16 H, 7 2B, 1 3B, 11 RBI, .595 SLG%, 5 BB, .460 OB%, 3 SB). On the mound, Central Missouri is led by left-hander Sawyer Allen (0.00 ERA, 6.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO, .167 opp. avg.) and right-handers Greyson Chappel (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 10.0 IP, 7 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 14 SO, .206 opp avg.), Gavin Williams (3-0, 1.50 ERA, 6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 5 SO, .056 opp. avg.), and Gavin Killion (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 5.1 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO, .222 opp. avg.).
Through 10 contests, the Mules are hitting .339 while holding opponents to .229. The Central Missouri pitching staff has a 4.45 ERA in 83 innings pitched, while the Mules' opponents have an ERA of 8.77 in 78 innings.
The Mules are second in the MIAA in hitting (.339), third in pitching (4.45 ERA), and ninth in fielding (.971 pct.).
Central Missouri is coming off a 2025 season that saw it compile an overall record of 48-14 and a MIAA record of 29-7. The Mules captured their 31st overall and sixth straight MIAA Regular Season Championship and 21st NCAA-II Regional Title, advancing to the Division II World Series for the 21st time in program history. UCM advanced all the way to the best-of-three national championship series at the World Series in Cary, N.C., ultimately finishing as the national runner-up to the Tampa Spartans.

Notable Streaks

Hitting streaks: Evan Vienhage: 8 games; Collin Dobson: 7 games; Cole Funkhouser: 5 games

Swiping Bases

Through 10 games, Central Missouri has 49 stolen bases in 54 attempts. The Mules' have held their opponents to just 10 stolen bags in 13 attempts so far this season. UCM's 49 stolen bases are the second-most in NCAA Division II in 2026.

Previewing the 2026 Mules

Entering the 2026 season, UCM baseball welcomes back three position starters, including 2025 MIAA Freshman of the Year infielder Cole Kreisel (.328 avg., .908 OPS, 51 R, 63 H, 9 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 29 RBI, 37 BB, .476 OB%, 13 SB), Honorable Mention All-MIAA infielder Grant Hollister (.333 avg., .927 OPS, 40 R, 59 H, 16 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 49 RBI, 14 BB, .430 OB%, 9 SB), and MIAA Gold Glove Team first baseman Chase Wilcox (.278 avg., .841 OPS, 48 R, 60 H, 11 2B, 8 HR, 38 BB, .401 OB%, 16 SB)
On the mound, Central Missouri welcomes back two starting pitchers, including Honorable Mention All-MIAA selections Jack Scott (4.41 ERA, 4-1, 1 SV, 85.2 IP, 103 H, 46 R, 42 ER, 30 BB, 73 SO, .299 opp. avg.) and Jack Kreisman (6.06 ERA, 3-3, 1 SV, 78.2 IP, 76 H, 56 R, 53 ER, 31 BB, 66 SO, .252 opp. avg.) In addition, the Mules return four relievers who threw at least 15 innings last season, including Honorable Mention All-MIAA reliever Chris Massey (5.75 ERA, 3-1, 1 SV, 36.0 IP, 34 H, 25 R, 23 ER, 25 BB, 47 SO, .250 opp. avg.), Sam Wyrick (2.91 ERA, 3-0, 4 SV, 34.0 IP, 27 H, 18 R, 11 ER, 15 BB, 20 SO, .218 opp. avg.), Sawyer Allen (4.62 ERA, 7-1, 1 SV, 48.2 IP, 46 H, 31 R, 25 ER, 22 BB, 40 SO, .250 opp. avg.) and Egan Keeler (4.79 ERA, 4-1, 20.2 IP, 20 H, 20 R, 11 ER, 13 BB, 22 SO, .247 opp. avg.).
The Mules have numerous newcomers to the 2026 roster, including 14 transfers and 11 high school freshmen.

Mules in the Rankings

The Mules are ranked No. 5 in the latest American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division II Poll released on Tuesday, Feb. 17. UCM is No. 2 in the most recent D2 Baseball Poll unveiled on Monday, Feb. 16, and No. 6 in the latest National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) Poll sent out on Wednesday, Feb. 18.
UCM was picked first in the 2026 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.

Series History vs. Northeastern State

The three-game series against the RiverHawks will mark meetings 55-57 in the all-time series dating back to 1968. UCM leads the series, 40-14. Last season, UCM went 2-1 against Northeastern State in Warrensburg, winning games one and two, 17-5 (7 innings) and 10-0 (7 innings), and dropping the series finale, 6-4.

UCM During the Crookes Era

Kyle Crookes has a 454-149 (.753) record in his 12th season as head coach at Central Missouri.
Crookes is the winningest coach in Mules Baseball history with his 454 victories.
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, while the Mules' 2025 regular season title marks the seventh for Crookes as head coach.
Crookes has won up to 13 MIAA Championships, seven regular season and six tournament.
He also has five regional championships to his credit in 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, and 2025.
During his 11 seasons at the helm, 116 players have earned All-MIAA honors, including 36 First Team nods, Players of the Year in Erik Webb in 2019, Dusty Stroup in 2021, Brennen van Breusegen in 2022 and 2024, and Jacob Steele in 2025, Pitcher of the Year Conner Wolf in 2024, and Freshman of the Year Jack Scott in 2024 and Cole Kreisel in 2025. Thirty-three players have earned All-Region honors, 17 All-American and eight 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 2026 season marks the 70th in the storied history of Mules Baseball. During that span the Mules have compiled a 2,212-835-9 record in 3,056 games played.
The Mules have won 40 or more games 24 times, including 14 straight seasons from 1999-2012, and have won 50 or more games 10 times.
The Mules have won or shared 31 MIAA regular season championships, 16 MIAA tournament championships, captured 21 regional titles, and two national championships (1994, 2003).

Mules Baseball by the Numbers

35 NCAA Regional Appearances (27 of the last 30 years)
31 MIAA Regular Season Titles
16 MIAA Tournament Titles
21 Regionals as host site
21 Regional Championships
16 Top Five national finishes
5 Third-place finishes
3 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 each of the 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 Mules have finished with a winning record in each of the last 38 seasons.

Up Next

UCM travels to St. Louis, Mo., for a midweek game at Maryville on Tuesday, Feb. 24, before returning home to Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field for a three-game MIAA series vs. Newman Feb. 27-March 1.

Print Friendly Version