(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) — The Central Missouri Mules pounded out 27 hits and scored 22 runs in sweeping a doubleheader from Northeastern State on Thursday evening at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field. The Mules came from behind in both games, winning the opener 7-3 and taking the nightcap 15-10.
The RiverHawks (23-17, 16-14 MIAA) jumped on top 3-0 in the third inning of game one with all three runs being unearned. The first run of the game scored on a UCM throwing error before Licio Tamburlini had an RBI single to drive in the second run and another run scored on a Mule throwing error.
The Mules (25-16, 20-10 MIAA) came right back with four runs of their own in the bottom half to take the lead. Bennett Oliver had a sacrifice fly to plate the first run and following the play time had not been called and Dusty Maasscampered home with the second run of the inning. Derek Cornell scored on a throwing error to tie the game and Tony Sandifer came home with the go-ahead run on Matt Milner‘s RBI single to center.
UCM tacked on three more runs in the fifth for a 7-4 lead. B. Olvier drove in his second run of the game with a single to right. Jackson Schnurbusch had an RBI single and Colton Hilbrenner had what would have been an RBI groundout, but advanced to first on an error by the first baseman.
Carlos D’Armas (2-1) went the distance allowing five hits and three unearned runs. He walked two and struck out three. Ryan Helsley (6-3) took the loss for the RiverHawks after giving up six runs, four earned, on eight hits in four innings. He struck out six and walked two.
The RiverHawks took an early lead in game two, scoring twice in the second inning on a Charles Sims two-run double. UCM got a run back in the bottom half on Schnurbusch’s RBI double to left and tied the game in the third on B. Oliver’s single to right.
The RiverHawks regained the lead with three unearned runs in the fourth, but the Mules came right back with three of their own on Dylan Farrell‘s first home run of the season in the bottom half to tie the game at five.
The Mules went in front 6-5 in the fifth on Schnurbusch’s RBI bunt single, but NSU plated three in the sixth on Preston Cash’s three-run homer to take an 8-6 lead. The RiverHawks made it 9-6 on Jared Aschbrenner’s RBI groundout in the seventh.
The Mules exploded for seven runs and seven hits in the bottom of the seventh to take a 13-9 lead. NSU got a run back in the eighth on Tyler Wilkins’ RBI double, but the Mules came right back with an RBI double from Hilbrenner, who later scored on a throwing error to make it 15-10.
Paul McMahon (1-1) earned his first win at UCM tossing 1.2 innings of relief, allowing one run on one hit. Lucas Williams tossed the final two innings allowing a hit and a run. Hayden Walch (1-1) took the loss for NSU after giving up four runs on four hits in 1.2 innings of relief.
B. Oliver finished the day 5-for-8 with five RBI and two runs scored. Farrell drove in four runs in game two, while Schnurbusch had three and Hilbrenner two.
The series will wrap up on Friday with a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. It’s also Senior Day with the Mules’ seniors being honored between games of the doubleheader. Both games of the doubleheader can be heard live on 1450 KOKO, 98.5 The Bar and warrensburgradio.com with Bob Jackson on the call.