No. 16 Mules Baseball Hosts No. 29 Northwest Missouri State Tuesday

Game 38: No. 16 Central Missouri (28-9, 18-7 MIAA) vs. No. 29 Northwest Missouri State (27-12, 17-8 MIAA)
Tuesday, April 14 | 2 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Radio: 98.5 The BAR FM (Alex Kent, play-by-play)
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2026 UCM Stats (XML) | 2026 UCM Roster | 2026 Northwest Missouri State Roster | Record Book

First Pitch

Sixteenth-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball (28-9, 18-7 MIAA) is scheduled to host the No. 29-ranked Northwest Missouri State Bearcats (27-12, 17-8 MIAA) in a midweek MIAA contest on Tuesday, April 14, at 2 p.m. at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg. The first 100 fans through the gates on Tuesday will receive a FREE Mules Baseball hat!
Central Missouri is coming off a 14-13 setback in the series finale of a three-game MIAA series at Fort Hays State on Sunday, April 12, in Hays, Kan. The Mules won the first two games of the series, 15-2 (Friday), and 4-3 in 10 innings (Saturday).
Through 37 games, UCM is paced at the plate by infielders Chase Wilcox (.376 avg., 1.008 OPS, 28 R, 41 H, 6 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 34 RBI, .505 SLG%, 29 BB, .505 OB%, 14 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 (.376 avg., 1.061 OPS, 45 R, 44 H, 11 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 36 RBI, .564 SLG%, 23 BB, .564 OB%, 16 SB), and Cole Kreisel (.486 avg., 1.146 OPS, 37 R, 32 H, 7 2B, 3 HR, 24 RBI, .604 SLG%, 19 BB, .568 OB%, 15 SB), and outfielders Ryker Edwards (.393 avg., .986 OPS, 26 R, 44 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 20 RBI, .536 SLG%, 14 BB, .450 OB%, 11 SB), Brock Kobel (.350 avg., 1.019 OPS, 26 R, 36 H, 8 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 29 RBI, .553 SLG%, 22 BB, .466 OB%, 11 SB), and Kaiden Ashton (.330 avg., .910 OPS, 32 R, 38 H, 7 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 32 RBI, 31 BB, .452 OB%, 10 SB).
On the mound, Central Missouri is led by left-hander Sawyer Allen (5-0, 2.13 ERA, 42.1 IP, 29 H, 13 R, 10 ER, 8 BB, 44 SO, .188 opp. avg.) and right-handers Gavin Williams (5-0, 3.27 ERA, 1 CG, 1 SV, 33.0 IP, 17 H, 12 R, 12 ER, 13 BB, 29 SO, .157 opp. avg.) and Greyson Chappel (1-2, 2.93 ERA, 30.2 IP, 19 H, 13 R, 10 ER, 16 BB, 41 SO, .181 opp avg.).
Through 37 contests, the Mules are hitting .338 while holding opponents to .225. The Central Missouri pitching staff has a 4.87 ERA in 305 innings pitched, while the Mules' opponents have an ERA of 9.35 in 293.2 innings.
The Mules lead the MIAA in fielding (.981 pct.), rank second in hitting (.338 avg.), and fourth in pitching (4.87 ERA) through 37 games.
In the latest NCAA-II National Statistics, UCM ranks first in triples (20), second in stolen bases (150), third in fielding percentage (.981), fifth in on-base percentage (.465), and ninth in walks (241).

Going for Three

The Mules lead the MIAA and NCAA Division II in triples through 37 contests with 20. In UCM's 19-12 win over Arkansas-Fort Smith on March 22, UCM tied the single-game record for triples with four. It was the first time since 2007 that Central Missouri has hit four triples in a game.

Swiping Bases

Through 37 games, Central Missouri has 150 stolen bases in 177 attempts. The Mules have held their opponents to just 34 stolen bags in 47 attempts so far this season. UCM's 150 stolen bases are second in NCAA Division II this season.

Mules in the Rankings

The Mules are ranked No. 14 in the most recent NCBWA Division II Top 25 (April 8), No. 15 in the latest Division 2 Baseball Top 25 (April 6), and No. 16 in the latest ABCA Division II Coaches' Top 25 (April 7).
UCM was picked first in the 2026 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll.

Series History vs. Northwest Missouri State

Tuesday's midweek game against the Bearcats will mark the 239th meeting in the all-time series going back to 1995. UCM leads the series, 163-75. The Mules have faced Northwest Missouri twice so far this season, going 1-1. Central Missouri defeated NWMSU in Warrensburg on March 18, 11-7, before falling in Maryville, Mo., on March 31, 10-7.

UCM During the Crookes Era

Kyle Crookes has a 474-156 (.752) record in his 12th season as head coach at Central Missouri.
Crookes is the winningest coach in Mules Baseball history with his 474 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 2,232-842-9 record in 3,083 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.

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