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Mules take DH from Washburn

Jared Potts allowed just two hits, while striking out 12, in pitching a shutout

The No. 20 Central Missouri Mules got big performances on the mound to take the first two games of the series against Washburn 4-0 and 4-3.

The first outing was a seven inning contest, and Mules’ (15-5, 5-1 MIAA) senior southpaw Jared Potts tossed a gem. He put together a complete game, two-hit shutout and struck out a career-high 12 batters.

The offense didn’t need to do much, but got it started by scoring a couple in the second frame. After packing the bases on three consecutive hits with one out, senior shortstop Brian McBryde hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring the first run. Senior Clay Weatherford continued the rally with a single through the left side to make it 2-0.

Central Missouri added to that with single runs in the fourth and fifth frames. In the fourth, senior third baseman Iain Dykins led off with a double to left field and stole third base before scoring on a wild pitch. The run in the fifth was pressed by McBryde as he doubled down the left field line, advanced to third on a passed ball, and was knocked in on a sacrifice fly from Weatherford. Zach Engelken pitched the entire first game for WU as neither team made a sub.

The nightcap went twice as long as the first game, taking 14 innings and nearly four hours to complete. The Mules struggled to knock in runners, stranding 11 in the game. It would come back to bite them. After taking a 2-0 lead in the fifth, Washburn tied it with a run in the sixth and seventh. It looked as if UCM would take the win when Will Feil scored on a Jayson Brugman single in the eighth inning, but the Ichabods didn’t give up, tallying a run in the top of the ninth to send it to extra innings.

Central Missouri got a solid pitching performance from freshman starter Matt Curtis (6 innings pitched, one run and three hits allowed), while sophomores Alex Kent and Nick Phillips threw the final 5.2 innings without allowing a run.

The real drama came in the top of the 14th when the Ichabods loaded the bags with no outs on an error, single, and a walk. Phillips came up big though, striking out the next three batters and ending the threat. With the momentum, the Mules offense loaded the bases in the bottom half and got the win on a wild pitch by Washburn.

Curtis Hamilton was the hard-luck loser for the Ichabods, throwing 7.2 innings without allowing an earned run and striking out seven. Phillips earned the win for Central Missouri, tossing the final three frames and striking out five.