Dollar Hot Dog Night Presented by Alewel's Country Meats in Warrensburg
Game 46: No. 24 Central Missouri (33-12, 23-10 MIAA) vs. Missouri Southern (31-15, 24-9 MIAA)
Thursday, April 30 | 6 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Radio: 98.5 The BAR FM (Alex Kent, play-by-play)
Live Stats |
Live Video (PPV) |
Live Audio
Harmon College Day/FREE Throwback Hats (while supplies last)
Game 47: No. 24 Central Missouri vs. Missouri Southern
Friday, May 1 | 4 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Radio: 98.5 The BAR FM (Alex Kent, play-by-play)
Live Stats |
Live Video (PPV) |
Live Audio
Senior Day
Game 48: No. 24 Central Missouri vs. Missouri Southern
Saturday, May 2 | 1 p.m. | Warrensburg, Mo. (Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field)
Radio: 98.5 The BAR FM (Alex Kent, play-by-play)
Live Stats |
Live Video (PPV) |
Live Audio
Notes: FREE Ice Cream Helmet Giveaway before the game, courtesy of Cold Stone Warrensburg
2026 UCM Stats (XML) |
2026 UCM Roster |
2026 Missouri Southern Roster |
Record Book
First Pitch
- No. 24-ranked University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball (33-12, 23-10 MIAA) is scheduled to conclude its 2026 regular season schedule with a three-game home MIAA series against the Missouri Southern Lions (31-15, 24-9 MIAA) April 30-May 2 at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg. The series opener is slated for 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, with game two at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 1, and the series finale and Senior Day at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 2.
- Central Missouri is coming off a 5-3 loss at Central Oklahoma on Sunday, April 26, in Edmond, Okla.
- Through 45 games, UCM is paced at the plate by infielders Chase Wilcox (.380 avg., 1.015 OPS, 32 R, 52 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 37 RBI, 33 BB, .497 OB%, 17 SB), Grant Hollister (.366 avg., 1.008 OPS, 29 R, 41 H, 15 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 32 RBI, .563 SLG%, 12 BB, .445 OB%, 11 SB), Cole Funkhouser (.336 avg., .965 OPS, 48 R, 49 H, 11 2B, 1 3B, 4 HR, 44 RBI, .507 SLG%, 28 BB, .458 OB%, 18 SB), Cole Kreisel (.340 avg., 1.061 OPS, 44 R, 36 H, 8 2B, 4 HR, 26 RBI, .528 SLG%, 20 BB, .533 OB%, 18 SB), and Collin Dobson (.329 avg., .959 OPS, 23 R, 25 H, 5 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 21 RBI, .500 SLG%, 11 BB, .459 OB%, 3 SB), and outfielders Ryker Edwards (.377 avg., .963 OPS, 30 R, 49 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 21 RBI, .523 SLG%, 17 BB, .440 OB%, 11 SB), Brock Kobel (.336 avg., .973 OPS, 31 R, 43 H, 11 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 29 RBI, .523 SLG%, 26 BB, .450 OB%, 12 SB), and Kaiden Ashton (.353 avg., .932 OPS, 37 R, 47 H, 8 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 37 RBI, 33 BB, .466 OB%, 13 SB).
- On the mound, Central Missouri is led by left-handers Sawyer Allen (6-1, 2.44 ERA, 55.1 IP, 39 H, 18 R, 15 ER, 12 BB, 59 SO, .194 opp. avg.) and Chris Massey (2-0, 3.46 ERA, 26.0 IP, 20 H, 16 R, 10 ER, 12 BB, 33 SO, .206 opp. avg.), and right-handers Gavin Williams (5-0, 3.63 ERA, 1 CG, 1 SV, 34.2 IP, 19 H, 14 R, 14 ER, 14 BB, 30 SO, .167 opp. avg.) and Greyson Chappel (2-2, 2.43 ERA, 37.0 IP, 20 H, 13 R, 10 ER, 24 BB, 48 SO, .160 opp avg.).
- Through 45 contests, the Mules are hitting .325 while holding opponents to .222. The Central Missouri pitching staff has a 4.57 ERA in 372 innings pitched, while the Mules' opponents have an ERA of 8.49 in 362.2 innings.
- The Mules lead the MIAA in fielding (.979 pct.), and rank third in hitting (.325 avg.) and pitching (4.57 ERA) through 45 games.
- In the latest NCAA-II National Statistics, UCM ranks third in sacrifice flies (39), fourth in stolen bases (167), fifth in fielding percentage (.979) and triples (21), 11th in walks (279), and 12th in on-base percentage (.450). Individually, Allen is fourth in WHIP (0.92), Kriesel is sixth in hit-by-pitch (24), and Ashton is seventh in sacrifice flies (7).
- In the most recent MIAA statistics, Allen is second in ERA (2.44), first in opposing batting average (.194), and fifth in strikeouts (59), while Krisel is fifth in on-base percentage (.533) and tied for seventh in stolen bases (18), Ashton is tied for first in sacrifice flies (7), and Cole Funkhouser and Drew Veatch are tied for seventh in stolen bases (18).
Going for Three
- The Mules lead the MIAA and are fifth in NCAA Division II in triples through 45 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.
Swiping Bases
- Through 45 games, Central Missouri has 167 stolen bases in 197 attempts. The Mules have held their opponents to just 39 stolen bags in 54 attempts so far this season. UCM's 167 stolen bases are fourth in NCAA Division II this season.
Mules in the Rankings
- The Mules are No. 18 in the most recent D2 Baseball Top 25 Poll (April 27), No. 24 in the latest America Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Top 25 (April 28), and No. 21 in the most recent National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).
- UCM checks in at No. 3 in the second NCAA-II Central Regional Rankings released on Wednesday, April 30, by the NCAA.
Milestone Watch
- Grant Hollister collected his 100th career hit in UCM's game at Central Oklahoma on Sunday, April 26.
- Cole Kreisel is one away from tallying 100 in his UCM career (2025-26). He stands at 99 hits entering the Missouri Southern series.
- Sawyer Allen is one strikeout away from 100 in his Central Missouri career (2025-26). Going into the series against the Lions, he is at 99 Ks. Allen surpassed 100 career innings in his UCM career on Friday, April 24, at Central Oklahoma. He is at 104 innings pitched.
- Chase Wilcox eclipsed 150 hits in his career as a Mule (2023-26) on Friday, April 24, at UCO. Going into the Missouri Southern series, he has 156 career hits.
Series History vs. Missouri Southern
- The three-game series against the Lions will mark meetings 129-131 in the all-time series dating back to 1983. The Mules lead the series, 99-29. UCM went 3-1 against MSSU last season, sweeping a three-game regular season series in Joplin, 11-5, 15-12, and 18-2 in seven innings, before falling to the Lions in the MIAA tournament quarterfinals, also in Joplin, 7-2.
UCM During the Crookes Era
- Kyle Crookes has a 479-159 (.751) record in his 12th season as head coach at Central Missouri.
- Crookes is the winningest coach in Mules Baseball history with his 479 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 2,237-845-9 record in 3,091 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 12 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 will compete in the 2026 MIAA Baseball Tournament, which is scheduled for May 6-9 at Wendell Simmons Field in Edmond, Okla. The tournament bracket will be released after Saturday's conference games conclude.
