CLAREMORE, Okla. – Sawyer Allen tossed six scoreless innings, and
Greyson Chappel and
Chris Massey threw a combined three scoreless innings, leading the No. 3-seeded University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball team to a 3-0, shutout win over the No. 6-seeded Minnesota State Mavericks in the opening game of the NCAA Division II Central Regional on Thursday, May 14, at the RCB Bank Sports Complex.
With the win, the Mules (35-15) advance in the winner's bracket of the double-elimination tournament and will take on No. 2-seeded and regional host Rogers State (39-13) on Friday, May 15, at 5 p.m. in Claremore, Okla. The Hillcats defeated No. 7-seed Missouri Southern on Thursday, 4-3 in 10 innings.
UCM scored all three of its runs in the game in the bottom of the first inning.
Evan Vienhage belted a two-run double to right field, scoring
Grant Hollister and
Chase Wilcox, before Kaleb Ceole drove in
Cole Funkhouser with an RBI ground out, putting Central Missouri ahead, 3-0.
Allen took over from there, giving up just one hit – an infield single in the top of the sixth inning – in six innings, before Chappel went 2 1/3 innings, and Massey recorded the final two outs in the top of the ninth, sealing the win for the Mules.
Vienhage went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI, leading UCM at the plate.
Allen moved to 7-1 on the mound with the victory, allowing zero earned runs on just one hit with five strikeouts and four walks in six innings, while Massey secured his third save of 2026 after posting a strikeout and surrendering zero earned runs on zero hits in two-thirds of an inning.
Minnesota State starting pitcher Mack Crowley (7-1) suffered the setback on the rubber after throwing eight innings and allowing three earned runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and three walks on 127 pitches.
For the game, the Mules outhit the Mavericks, 7-2.
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