(ST. LOUIS, Mo.) – The third-ranked Central Missouri Mules scored runs in four straight innings to break open a scoreless game and earn an 11-1 run-rule win over Washburn on Saturday afternoon at St. Mary’s High School.
The Mules took two out of three games from the Ichabods during their weekend series.
The game was scoreless through the first three innings before the Mules (17-3, 14-2 MIAA) broke out for three runs in the fourth inning. Brad Wilson got UCM on the board with an RBI groundout followed later by an RBI single from Chase Graskewicz to make it 2-0. Hunter Johnson added an RBI groundout later in the inning to make it 3-0 in favor of the Mules.
The Ichabods (5-14, 5-13 MIAA) got on the board in the fifth scoring a single run on a wild pitch.
The Mules blew the game open with a five-run fifth inning to make it 8-1. John Oropeza brought home two runs with a bases-loaded single to make it 5-1. Graskewicz brought home his second run of the game to make it 6-1 and Jon Cotter drove in a pair to make it 8-1 after five innings.
Oropeza added an RBI double in the sixth to give the Mules a 9-1 lead in the sixth. UCM added two more runs in the seventh for the 11-1 run-rule victory. Jake Alexander was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in one run and Wilson singled home Cotter for the clincher.
Travis Higgs (3-0) picked up the complete-game victory allowing just one run on four hits. He walked two and struck out nine in the process.
Mark Biesma (1-2) took the loss for Washburn after giving up seven runs, five earned, on seven hits in 4.1 innings. He walked two and struck out two.
The Mules are back in action Tuesday hosting Southwest Baptist in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.