PITTSBURG, Kan. – Sixth-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball split an MIAA doubleheader against the fourth-ranked Pittsburg State Gorillas on Saturday, March 14, at Al Ortolani Field, dropping game one, 8-5, before winning game two, 14-5.
The Mules (19-5, 10-3 MIAA) are scheduled to return home to Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field to host Northwest Missouri State (16-6, 7-2 MIAA) in a midweek MIAA contest on Tuesday, March 17, at 3 p.m.
In game one, Central Missouri led 5-0 after plating two runs in the top of the first and third innings, and a run in the top of the fifth, before Pittsburg State (22-2, 12-2 MIAA) charged back with three runs in the bottom of the fifth and five in the seventh for the eventual 8-5 victory.
Chase Wilcox hit his second homer of the season,
Ryker Edwards belted his first home run of 2026,
Grant Hollister had two hits, including a triple, and
Collin Dobson doubled, leading UCM offensively in the opener.
In the nightcap, the Mules scored five runs in the top of the second inning, breaking a 2-2 tie, before plating a run in the third, four runs in the sixth, and a run each in the seventh and eighth on their way to the 14-5 triumph.
Edwards and Wilcox both went 3-for-4, with Edwards also recording a double. Hollister was 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs.
Cole Funkhouser was 2-for-4 with four RBI and hit his first-career home run --- a three-run round-tripper in the sixth, and
Cole Kreisel and
Kaiden Ashton each compiled two hits, pacing Central Missouri in game two.
Reliever
Chris Massey (1-0) earned the victory on the mound in game two after allowing one earned run on two hits with a career-high nine strikeouts and just one walk in 4 1/3 innings, while freshman
Gavin Williams picked up his first collegiate save, surrendering one earned run on two hits with five strikeouts and two walks in three innings of work.
The Mules outhit the Gorillas in the second contest, 18-8.
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