Baseball | 4/16/2026 2:00:00 PM

• Sixteenth-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball (29-9, 19-7 MIAA) is scheduled to travel to Emporia, Kan., for a three-game MIAA series against the Emporia State Hornets (28-12, 15-11 MIAA) April 17-19 at the Trusler Sports Complex. The series opener is slated for 6 p.m. on Friday, April 17, with game two at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18, and the series finale at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 19. 
• The Mules are coming off an 8-3 victory over the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats in a midweek MIAA contest on Tuesday, April 14, in Warrensburg. 
• Through 38 games, UCM is paced at the plate by infielders Chase Wilcox (.372 avg., 1.013 OPS, 29 R, 42 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 34 RBI, .513 SLG%, 30 BB, .500 OB%, 14 SB), Grant Hollister (.402 avg., 1.096 OPS, 27 R, 37 H, 15 2B, 2 3B, 28 RBI, .609 SLG%, 11 BB, .487 OB%, 10 SB), Cole Funkhouser (.361 avg., 1.022 OPS, 46 R, 44 H, 11 2B, 1 3B, 3 HR, 37 RBI, .541 SLG%, 23 BB, .481 OB%, 17 SB), Cole Kreisel (.372 avg., 1.119 OPS, 39 R, 32 H, 7 2B, 3 HR, 24 RBI, .558 SLG%, 19 BB, .561 OB%, 15 SB), and Collin Dobson (.338 avg., 1.001 OPS, 22R, 23 H, 5 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 21 RBI, .529 SLG%, 11 BB, .472 OB%, 3 SB), and outfielders Ryker Edwards (.400 avg., 1.002 OPS, 27 R, 46 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 20 RBI, .539 SLG%, 16 BB, .463 OB%, 11 SB), Brock Kobel (.340 avg., .997 OPS, 26 R, 36 H, 8 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 29 RBI, .538 SLG%, 23 BB, .459 OB%, 11 SB), and Kaiden Ashton (.345 avg., .924 OPS, 33 R, 41 H, 7 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 35 RBI, 31 BB, .462 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 38 contests, the Mules are hitting .337 while holding opponents to .224. The Central Missouri pitching staff has a 4.82 ERA in 314 innings pitched, while the Mules' opponents have an ERA of 9.28 in 301.2 innings. 
• The Mules lead the MIAA in fielding (.981 pct.), rank third in hitting (.337 avg.), and fourth in pitching (4.82 ERA) through 38 games. 
• In the latest NCAA-II National Statistics, UCM ranks first in triples (21), second in stolen bases (154), third in fielding percentage (.981), fifth in on-base percentage (.465), and seventh in walks (256).

• The Mules lead the MIAA and NCAA Division II in triples through 38 contests with 21. 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. 

• Through 38 games, Central Missouri has 154 stolen bases in 181 attempts. The Mules have held their opponents to just 34 stolen bags in 47 attempts so far this season. UCM's 154 stolen bases are second in NCAA Division II this season.

• Hitting Streaks: Grant Hollister: 6 games

• The Mules are ranked No. 14 in the most recent NCBWA Division II Top 25 (April 15), No. 15 in the latest Division 2 Baseball Top 25 (April 13), and No. 16 in the latest ABCA Division II Coaches' Top 25 (April 14).
• UCM was picked first in the 2026 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll. 

• The three-game series at Emporia State will mark meeting 186-188 in the all-time series going all the way back to 1965. The Mules lead the series, 130-55. Last season, UCM went 3-0 against the Hornets in Warrensburg, winning 13-10, 6-5 in 10 innings, and 3-2. 

• Kyle Crookes has a 475-156 (.753) record in his 12th season as head coach at Central Missouri.
• Crookes is the winningest coach in Mules Baseball history with his 475 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.

• The 2026 season marks the 70th in the storied history of Mules Baseball. During that span, the Mules have compiled a 2,233-842-9 record in 3,084 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).

• 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

• 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.

• The Mules travel to Topeka, Kan., for a midweek MIAA tussle at Washburn on Tuesday, April 21.