(TAHLEQUAH, Okla.) – Down four runs in the ninth inning the fifth-ranked Central Missouri baseball team rallied to force extra innings and beat Northeastern State 13-11 on a two-run homer by Brad Wilson in the 10th inning on Monday afternoon.
Tucker Cross and Chase Graskewicz hit back-to-back homers in the ninth to tie the game before Wilson’s second long ball of the game gave UCM the win and a series sweep.
The Mules (9-1, 6-0 MIAA) got on the board in the second inning on an RBI single by Cross. John Oropeza made it 3-0 UCM in the third when he doubled home Kyle Grieshaber and Trevor Jones.
The RiverHawks (6-7, 6-7 MIAA) pushed a single run across in the bottom of the third on a RBI single by David Weber to make it 3-1. UCM came right back in the fourth with two more runs to make it 5-1. Samuel Domingue brought home a run with an RBI fielder’s choice and Jones added a sacrifice fly.
Cody Robinson homered to lead off the fourth for NSU, but Brad Wilson returned the favor in the 5th to give UCM a 6-2 lead.
The RiverHawks scored five runs in the fifth, including a three-run shot by Robinson, to take a 7-6 lead. The Mules tied the game in the top of the sixth when Grieshaber brought home Dusty Maas with an RBI fielder’s choice.
NSU came right back to regain the lead in the bottom half of the inning on a solo home run by Weber. The RiverHawks added a run in the seventh on a RBI double by Kyle Singleton, then tacked on two more in the eighth on a two-run homer by Kegan Knight to make it 11-7.
With one out in the ninth Oropeza singled to start the rally, followed by a Kevin Gratza walk. Cross then took an 0-1 pitch deep to left field to pull UCM within 11-10. Three pitches later Graskewicz launched his first home run of the season out to right to tie the game at 11-all.
Northeastern State went down in order in the ninth to force extra innings. After a groundout to start the inning, Grieshaber singled to set the stage for Wilson. He belted his second homer of the game out to left center on a 1-1 count to give the Mules the 13-11 lead.
Dany Coulombe (1-0) set the RiverHawks down in order in the bottom of the 10th to secure the win. He picked up the win after coming on in the ninth. He tossed 1.1 innings of perfect relief. Jake Heissler also pitched an inning of perfect relief before that. Starter Travis Higgs allowed seven runs, six earned, on nine hits in 4.0 innings. He walked one and struck out four.
Addison Williams (1-1) took the loss for NSU after allowing two runs on two hits in 1.2 innings.
Oropeza finished the day 3-for-6 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Cross had two hits, four RBI and a pair of runs. Wilson had the two home runs and three driven in as well.
The Mules are scheduled to host Truman State at 1 p.m. Wednesday for an MIAA doubleheader. That game will not be played in Warrensburg due to unplayable field conditions. An alternate location has not been decided upon, that information will be made available as soon as it is known.