(JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.) — The 28th-ranked Central Missouri Mules baseball team completed a four-game series sweep of Lincoln and ran their winning streak to eight games with a 15-3 run-rule win in the series finale on Sunday at the LU Baseball Field.
The Mules are now 22-9 overall and 19-5 in MIAA play.
The Mules opened the scoring in the first with a Tony Sandifer RBI single to take a 1-0 lead. UCM plated four runs in the second inning to take a 5-0 lead. Seth Wheeler had an RBI single to drive in the first run and Jake Alexander drove in another with a single. Kevin Gratza had an RBI sac bunt and Brad Wilson added an RBI single to close the scoring.
The Blue Tigers (1-23, 0-20 MIAA) plated two runs in the bottom of the inning to get within 5-2. Joe Jungmeyer had an RBI single and Josh Kennedy was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in another.
UCM added four more runs in the third inning to blow the game open. Alexander added another RBI single, two more runs scored on a Lincoln throwing error and Sandifer walked with the bases loaded to make it a 9-2 advantage for the Mules. Wheeler added a sacrifice fly in the fourth to make it 10-2. Lincoln added a run in the fifth to make it 10-3 in favor of UCM, but the Mules came right back in the sixth with another run when Alexander walked with the bases loaded.
Central Missouri scored four more times in the seventh to take a 15-3 lead. Dylan Hanson had an RBI sac bunt, Wheeler walked with the bases loaded and Alexander added a two-run single.
Alexander finished the day 4 for 5 with five RBI and three runs scored. Wheeler drove in three runs, while Hanson, Sandifer and Dusty Maas finished with two hits each.
Lucas Williams (2-0) picked up the win after allowing three runs on six hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out five. Grant Gavin tossed the final two innings in relief without allowing a hit and striking out two.
Nathan Lueckenhoff (0-5) took the loss for Lincoln after giving up nine runs, six earned, on nine hits and four walks in 2.2 innings pitched.
The Mules are back in action on Tuesday night traveling to Emporia, Kan., for a non-conference game against Emporia State beginning at 5 p.m. UCM will return home next weekend to host Lindenwood in a four-game series beginning at 3 p.m. Friday.