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Mules sweep MIAA series at Pittsburg State

The No. 21 Central Missouri Mules baseball squad kept it rolling this weekend in a four-game series sweep at Pittsburg State. UCM got great pitching performances on the first day to grab 7-0 and 9-1 wins before overcoming six errors to grab a 4-3 win in the first game on Saturday. They finished the series by pounding out 17 hits in a 17-6 run-rule victory.

Central Missouri (21-5, 11-1 MIAA) continued its win streak, moving it to nine. Junior Mark Carey got it kicked off with a complete game shutout in the first game of the weekend. He allowed only three hits in the game, two of which were in the first inning.

The Mules bats blew it open in the second inning with four runs, highlighted by a two-RBI double from senior Balin Bergman. They would tack on single runs in the fourth, sixth, and seventh innings. Bergman and Blaine Rutledge hit homers in the game.

Senior Jared Potts started the nightcap and was perfect through five innings. He also didn’t allow a hit until the seventh inning of the contest. Staked to a 9-0 lead, he allowed a run in the seventh inning, but evened his season record at 3-3, winning his last three starts.

The offense tallied three runs in the third and fifth frames. Blaine Rutledge went 4-of-4 on the day while Brian McBryde and Clay Weatherford each had a couple RBI.

On day two, the Mules had to overcome six errors, including three in the first inning that allowed PSU to grab a 2-0 lead. Starter Danny Potje took over from there though, keeping them scoreless through the fifth inning. The Mules rallied in the sixth though, scoring three runs to take the lead for good. They took advantage of three errors by PSU. UCM then got an insurance run in the top of the seventh on a solo homer from Chris Brown. Chris Matlock earned the save, tossing the final two frames and getting out of a jam in the final inning.

The bats exploded in the final game for UCM, knocking 17 hits and scoring 17 runs. Mike Hallam delivered the biggest blow, smashing a grand slam to left center in the fifth inning. The homer put the Mules in front by five runs and they would never look back, scoring four more in both the sixth and seventh innings to get the run rule. Iain Dykins also homered in the game for Central Missouri, crushing a three-run shot to left in the sixth.

Nick Phillips got the win for the Mules after replacing starter Matt Curtis in the second inning. He tossed 4.2 innings, allowing only two runs on four hits.