EDMOND, Okla. – Sawyer Allen threw seven innings and struck out seven,
Chase Wilcox had three hits, and
Cole Kreisel and
Brock Kobel each tallied two hits, leading No. 22-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball to a 4-2 win over the Central Oklahoma Bronchos in game one of a three-game MIAA series on Friday, April 24, at Wendell Simmons Field.
The Mules (32-11, 22-9 MIAA) and Bronchos (23-22, 14-17 MIAA) are slated to play game two of the series at 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 25, in Edmond.
UCM took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the third inning when Kreisel stole home before Central Oklahoma leveled the game, 1-1, with a run in the bottom half of the third.
The Mules answered with two runs in the top of the fourth, taking a 3-1 lead when
Kaleb Ceola plated Kobel on an RBI single through the left side and Kreisel scored Ceola with an RBI double down the left field line.
UCM upped its advantage to 4-1 in the top of the sixth after
Cole Funkhouser plated Ceola with an RBI single to left field. UCO trimmed the Central Missouri lead to 4-2 with a run in the bottom of the inning, but Allen and relief pitcher
Chris Massey held Central Oklahoma scoreless the remainder of the game, sealing the victory.
Wilcox was 3-for-5, Kreisel was 2-for-4 with a double, run, and RBI, and Kobel was 2-for-4 with a double and run, pacing UCM offensively for the game.
Allen (6-1) earned the win on the mound after giving up just two earned runs on five hits with seven strikeouts and only one walk in seven innings, while Massey secured his second save of 2026 after throwing scoreless eighth and ninth innings with three strikeouts and one walk.
For the game, the Mules outhit the Bronchos, 11-6.
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