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University of Central Missouri Athletics

Cole Kreisel (11) vs. Newman
Andrew Mather | University Photographer

No. 8 Mules Back Home to host Northwest Missouri Wednesday, UAFS Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Game 25: No. 8 Central Missouri (19-5, 10-3 MIAA) vs. Northwest Missouri State (16-6, 7-2 MIAA)
Wednesday, March 18 | 3 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Live Stats | Live Video (PPV)

Game 26: No. 8 Central Missouri vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith (4-17, 3-9 MIAA)
Friday, March 20 | 3 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Radio: 98.5 The BAR FM (Alex Kent, play-by-play)
Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video (PPV)

Game 27: No. 8 Central Missouri vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith
Saturday, March 21 | 2 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Radio: 98.5 The BAR FM (Alex Kent, play-by-play)
Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video (PPV)

Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field 50th Anniversary Celebration
Game 28: No. 8 Central Missouri vs. Arkansas-Fort Smith
Sunday, March 22 | 1 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Radio: 98.5 The BAR FM (Alex Kent, play-by-play)
Live Stats | Live Audio | Live Video (PPV)

2026 UCM Stats (XML) | 2026 UCM Roster | 2026 Northwest Missouri Roster | 2026 UAFS Roster | Record Book | Buy Tickets
First Pitch
  • No. 8-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball (19-5, 10-3 MIAA) is scheduled to host the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats (16-6, 7-2 MIAA) in a midweek MIAA game on Wednesday, March 18, at 3 p.m. before welcoming the Arkansas-Fort Smith Lions (4-17, 3-9 MIAA) to Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field for a three-game MIAA series March 20-22. Game one against the Lions is slated for 3 p.m. Friday, March 20, with game two at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 21, and the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 22.
  • At Sunday's game vs. UAFS, Mules Baseball will celebrate 50 Years of Baseball at the current Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field site. The first games where Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field currently resides were played on March 22, 1976, in a doubleheader against Kansas State. UCM Athletics invites all former Mules Baseball alumni back to Sunday's game. All Mules Baseball alumni are eligible to receive FREE admission to the game by filling out the form at this link. For more information on the 50th Anniversary celebration, please click here.
  • Central Missouri is coming off a 1-2 weekend in a three-game MIAA series at then No. 4-ranked Pittsburg State. The Mules dropped games one and two, 13-4 and 8-5, before winning the series finale, 14-5. 
  • Through 24 games, UCM is paced at the plate by infielders Chase Wilcox (.419 avg., 1.141 OPS, 17 R, 26 H, 4 2B, 2 HR, 20 RBI, .581 SLG%, 18 BB, .560 OB%, 10 SB), Grant Hollister (.396 avg., 1.086 OPS, 18 R, 28 H, 15 2B, 2 3B, 28 RBI, .604 SLG%, 11 BB, .482 OB%, 10 SB), Cole Funkhouser (.382 avg., .996 OPS, 28 R, 26 H, 4 2B, 1 HR, 21 RBI, 15 BB, .511 OB%, 11 SB), and Collin Dobson (.340 avg., .924 OPS, 18 R, 18 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 13 RBI, 10 BB, .471 OB%, 2 SB), and outfiedlers Brock Kobel (.379 avg., 1.051 OPS, 16 R, 25 H, 6 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 20 RBI, .545 SLG%, 17 BB, .506 OB%, 9 SB), Ryker Edwards (.412 avg., 1.003 OPS, 18 R, 28 H, 2 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 10 RBI, .544 SLG%, 6 BB, .459 OB%, 6 SB), and Kaiden Ashton (.351 avg., .896 OPS, .18 R, 26 H, 4 2B, 1 3B, 21 RBI, 18 BB, .464 OB%, 7 SB).
  • On the mound, Central Missouri is led by left-hander Sawyer Allen (2-0, 2.66 ERA, 23.2 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 6 BB, 26 SO, .216 opp. avg.) and right-handers Gavin Williams (4-0, 2.84 ERA, 1 CG, 1 SV, 19.0 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 10 BB, 23 SO, .115 opp. avg.) and Greyson Chappel (0-1, 2.45 ERA, 18.1 IP, 12 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 7 BB, 28 SO, .197 opp avg.).
  • Through 24 contests, the Mules are hitting .345 while holding opponents to .220. The Central Missouri pitching staff has a 4.94 ERA in 195 innings pitched, while the Mules' opponents have an ERA of 9.35 in 188.2 innings. 
  • The Mules are second in the MIAA in hitting (.345), third in fielding (.980 pct.), and fourth in pitching (4.94 ERA). 
Notable Streaks Swiping Bases
  • Through 24 games, Central Missouri has 108 stolen bases in 123 attempts. The Mules' have held their opponents to just 21 stolen bags in 27 attempts so far this season. UCM's 108 stolen bases are the second-most in NCAA Division II in 2026. 
Mules in the Rankings
  • Central Missouri is ranked No. 8 in the latest American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division II Top 25 Poll released on Tuesday, March 17, and No. 7 in the most recent D2 Baseball Poll unveiled on Monday, March 16. 
  • UCM was picked first in the 2026 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. 
Series History
  • Northwest Missouri State: Wednesday's game against the Bearcats will mark meeting 237 in the all-time series going back to 1995. The Mules lead the series, 162-74. UCM went 1-2 against the Bearcats last season (2025), falling in Maryville, 6-3, and Warrensburg, 13-4, before winning the series finale in Maryville, 17-10. 
  • Arkansas-Fort Smith: The three-game series against the UAFS Lions will be meetings 8-10 in the all-time series dating back to 2010. UCM leads the series, 6-1. Last year (2025), Central Missouri swept UAFS in a three-game series in Fort Smith, Ark., winning 14-3, 10-1, and 14-4 (7 innings). 
UCM During the Crookes Era
  • Kyle Crookes has a 465-152 (.754) record in his 12th season as head coach at Central Missouri.
  • Crookes is the winningest coach in Mules Baseball history with his 465 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 2,223-838-9 record in 3,070 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
  • The Mules host the Washburn Ichabods in a midweek MIAA contest on Tuesday, March 24, at 3 p.m. at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field. 
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