WARRENSBURG, Mo. – Second-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball galloped past the Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys, 16-6 in eight innings, in its 2026 home opener on Friday afternoon, Feb. 6, at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.
The Mules (3-1) and Wonder Boys (1-3) are scheduled to play a doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday, Feb. 7, in Warrensburg.
Central Missouri scored early and often in the game, plating a combined eight runs in the opening three innings to jump out to an 8-0 lead.
Grant Hollister started the scoring with an RBI triple to left center that drove in
Kaiden Ashton in the bottom of the first inning for the 1-0 advantage before the Mules tallied four runs in the second to increase their lead to 5-0.
Cole Young belted a triple to centerfield, bringing in two runs, followed by a
Collin Dobson sacrifice fly, and a Hollister RBI single through the left side for two more runs in the frame for the four-run inning.
UCM kept the pedal to the metal in the third when
Cody Moore crushed a two-run homer to left-center – the first home run of the season for the Mules, before
Jackson Helberg plated Young on a sacrifice fly for the 8-0 lead.
Central Missouri blew the game wide open in the bottom of the sixth, scoring seven runs, increasing its advantage to 15-1. The Mules scored four runs on two Arkansas Tech errors, a Wonder Boy wild pitch, and a two-run single from Helberg for the seven-run inning.
Arkansas Tech plated five runs in the top of the seventh, cutting UCM's lead to 15-6, but
Evan Vienhage hit an RBI double down the right field line, plating Hollister and invoking the 10-run rule, securing the 16-6 triumph for Central Missouri.
Hollister, Moore, and
Ryker Edwards all had three hits in the game, while Young added two hits, pacing the Mules offensively in the victory.
UCM reliever
Gavin Killion (1-0) earned the win on the mound, allowing no earned runs on just one hit with three strikeouts and zero walks in two innings. Central Missouri starting pitcher
Greyson Chappel threw three scoreless and hitless innings, tallying five strikeouts.
Kirby Jenkins had two hits and two RBI, pacing the Wonder Boys at the plate.
Arkansas Tech starting pitcher Vaughn O'Leary (0-1) suffered the loss on the rubber, surrendering seven earned runs on eight hits with two walks in two innings of work.
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