Kaleb Ceola (00) vs. UT Tyler in the NCAA-II World Series on May 29, 2026

Andrew Mather | University Photographer

No. 4 Mules Baseball Faces No. 8 UIndy in NCAA-II World Series Sunday

5/30/2026 9:45:00 AM

First Pitch

No. 4-seeded University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball (39-16) will look to keep its 2026 season alive when it takes on the No. 8-seeded UIndy Greyhounds (39-23) in an NCAA-II World Series elimination game on Sunday afternoon, May 31, at 12:30 p.m. CT (1:30 p.m. ET) at the USA Baseball Training Complex in Cary, N.C.
Central Missouri dropped its opening game of the World Series, 8-3, to No. 5-seeded UT Tyler on Friday, May 29.
The Mules have qualified for 36 NCAA-II tournaments in program history. This is UCM's third straight and 22nd overall World Series appearance.
Central Missouri swept the number five seed Augustana (S.D.) Vikings, 2-0, in a best-of-three Super Regional May 21-22 at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field in Warrensburg, winning 6-1 and 10-1, to secure a spot in the World Series.
UCM went a perfect 3-0 in the Central Regional tournament May 14-16 in Claremore, Okla., defeating No. 6 seed Minnesota State, 3-0, and No. 2 seed and regional co-host Rogers State twice, 9-2 and 8-3.
Through 55 games, UCM is paced at the plate by infielders Chase Wilcox (.359 avg., .970 OPS, 41 R, 65 H, 7 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 43 RBI, .503 SLG%, 37 BB, .467 OB%, 19 SB), Grant Hollister (.367 avg., 1.011 OPS, 39 R, 58 H, 21 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR, 47 RBI, .576 SLG%, 14 BB, .435 OB%, 12 SB), Cole Funkhouser (.320 avg., .935 OPS, 59 R, 58 H, 13 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 51 RBI, 34 BB, .449 OB%, 23 SB), and Cole Kreisel (.331 avg., 1.032 OPS, 54 R, 48 H, 11 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 30 RBI, .524 SLG%, 23 BB, .508 OB%, 19 SB), catcher Kaleb Ceola (.395 avg., 1.095 OPS, 17 R, 30 H, 3 2B, 2 3B, 2 HR, 13 RBI, .566 SLG%, 17 BB, .529 OB%), and outfielders Evan Vienhage (.394 avg., 1.062 OPS, 12 R, 28 H, 6 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 19 RBI, .592 SLG%, 9 BB, .470 OB%, 3 SB), Ryker Edwards (.356 avg., .930 OPS, 32 R, 52 H, 6 2B, 2 3B, 4 HR, 25 RBI, .507 SLG%, 19 BB, .423 OB%, 11 SB), Brock Kobel (.311 avg., .893 OPS, 34 R, 51 H, 13 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 33 RBI, 28 BB, .423 OB%, 12 SB), and Kaiden Ashton (.355 avg., .913 OPS, 40 R, 54 H, 8 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR, 39 RBI, 34 BB, .459 OB%, 15 SB).
On the mound, Central Missouri is led by left-handers Sawyer Allen (8-2, 2.37 ERA, 1 CG, 87.1 IP, 65 H, 32 R, 23 ER, 24 BB, 83 SO, .205 opp. avg.) and Chris Massey (3-1, 4.09 ERA, 3 SV, 33.0 IP, 26 H, 22 R, 15 ER, 18 BB, 46 SO, .211 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.), Greyson Chappel (2-2, 2.34 ERA, 42.1 IP, 23 H, 14 R, 11 ER, 26 BB, 55 SO, .161 opp avg.), and Sam Wyrick (3-1, 3.76 ERA, 6 SV, 38.1 IP, 37 H, 16 R, 16 ER, 13 BB, 24 SO, .253 opp. avg.).
Through 55 contests, the Mules are hitting .320 while holding opponents to .229. The Central Missouri pitching staff has a 4.45 ERA in 463.2 innings pitched, while the Mules' opponents have an ERA of 7.91 in 450.2 innings.
In NCAA-II postseason play, Central Missouri is hitting .318 and has a 2.00 team ERA. The UCM pitching staff has allowed just 12 earned runs on 46 hits, with 42 strikeouts and only 23 walks in 54 innings in the Mules' six NCAA tournament contests.
In the latest NCAA-II National Statistics, UCM ranks first in hits allowed per nine innings (7.48), third in stolen bases (189) and fielding percentage (.980), fourth in triples (23), seventh in WHIP (1.34), 11th in sacrifice flies (39), and 13th in strikeouts per nine innings (9.1). Individually, Allen is third in WHIP (0.96) and 12th in hits allowed per nine innings (6.45), and Kriesel is fifth in hit-by-pitch (28).

Sawyer Allen Earns ABCA/Rawlings and D2CCA Second Team All-America Honors (ABCA Release / D2CCA Release)

Starting pitcher Sawyer Allen earned both American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings and D2CCA Second Team All-America accolades.
Allen is the 25th ABCA Second Team All-American in program history. He is the 22nd Mule to earn D2CCA All-America recognition.
He also garnered First Team All-Central Region honors as a starting pitcher from the NCBWA, D2CCA, and ABCA, and was a First Team All-MIAA honoree.

Chappel Named ABCA/Rawlings Division II All-Central Region Second Team (ABCA Release)

Right-handed starting pitcher Greyson Chappel was named to the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA)/Rawlings Division II All-Central Region Second Team.
Chappel, who hails from Shawnee, Kan., is 2-2 on the mound with a 2.34 ERA in 13 appearances in 2026. He's allowed just 11 earned runs on 23 hits with 55 strikeouts and 26 walks, and held opposing batters to a .161 batting average in 42 1/3 innings of work this season.

Eight Mules Earn All-MIAA Baseball Honors for 2026 (Full Release)

Eight University of Central Missouri Mules Baseball student-athletes were voted to the 2026 All-MIAA Baseball teams for their performances on the field during the 2026 regular season.
Starting pitcher Sawyer Allen earned First Team All-MIAA accolades, while fellow starting pitcher Greyson Chappel and shortstop Cole Kreisel were Second Team All-MIAA selections. Relief pitcher Gavin Williams, first baseman Chase Wilcox, and utility player Cole Funkhouser received Third Team All-MIAA recognition, and relief pitcher Sam Wyrick and outfielder Ryker Edwards were named Honorable Mention All-MIAA.
Kreisel and Wilcox were also named to the All-MIAA Gold Glove Team for their defensive performances throughout regular-season action.

Mules in the Rankings

The Mules are No. 13 in the latest American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Division II Top 30 Poll released on Tuesday, May 26.

Notable Streaks

Hitting Streaks: Kaiden Ashton: 9 games; Kaleb Ceola: 7 games; Evan Vienhage: 6 games; Grant Hollister: 5 games
On-Base Streaks: Grant Hollister: 14 games; Brock Kobel: 13 games; Kaiden Ashton: 9 games; Kaleb Ceola: 7 games; Drew Veatch: 7 games; Jackson Helberg: 6 games; Evan Vienhage: 6 games; Lincoln Stephenson: 5 games

Swiping Bases

Entering Sunday, the Mules have stolen 189 bases in 224 attempts. That ranks third in NCAA Division II and is just eight shy of tying the program record for stolen bases in a season (197 in 2024).

Series History vs. UIndy

This will be the first-ever meeting on the diamond between the Mules and the University of Indianapolis Greyhounds out of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC).

UCM During the Crookes Era

Kyle Crookes has a 485-163 (.748) record in his 12th season as head coach at Central Missouri.
Crookes is the winningest coach in Mules Baseball history with his 485 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 marked the seventh for Crookes as head coach.
Crookes has won up to 13 MIAA Championships, seven regular season and six tournament.
He also has six regional championships to his credit in 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024, 2025, and 2026.
During his 11 seasons at the helm, 124 players have earned All-MIAA honors, including 37 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-five players have earned All-Region honors, 18 All-American honors, 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 2,243-849-9 record in 3,101 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 22 regional titles, and two national championships (1994, 2003).

Mules Baseball by the Numbers

36 NCAA Regional Appearances (28 of the last 31 years)
22 Regional Championships
31 MIAA Regular Season Titles
16 MIAA Tournament Titles
21 Regionals as host site
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

If Central MIssouri defeats UIndy on Sunday, it'll keep its 2026 season alive and take on the loser of the No. 1 West Chester vs. No. 5 UT Tyler winner's bracket contest in another elimination game on Tuesday, June 2, at 1:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. CT) in Cary. A loss would wrap up UCM's season.

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