UCM Mules Baseball Wins Over Missouri Southern
JOPLIN, Mo. – The Mules opened their four-game set against Missouri Southern with a 5-4 win in 11 innings to improve to 11-10 on the season.
Carlos D'Armas led the Mules through the first 6.1 innings. He allowed no runs and one hit while striking out a career-high 13 batters, the most for a Mule this season. D'Armas struck out the side in the third and sixth innings and fanned seven of the final nine batters he faced.
UCM got on the board quickly in the first. Derek Cornell singled to center and a throwing error allowed Jake Alexander to score from second, giving the Mules an early 1-0 edge.
The Mules added another run in the third when Colton Hilbrenner connected for this first career home run. A solo blast to left, giving a Mules a 2-0 lead.
The score remained that way as D'Armas carved through the Lions lineup. After he departed, Lucas Williams stranded a base-runner in the seventh and threw a 1-2-3 eighth, maintaining the Mules lead.
The Mules added some insurance in the ninth, scoring a run on a wild pitch and an RBI squeeze bunt from Alexander.
The four-run cushion wasn't enough as the Lions scored four in the bottom of the frame to tie the game. The Mules issued a pair of bases loaded walks and an RBI single and fielder's choice evened the score.
After both teams went down quietly in the 10th, the Mules broke through for a run in the 11th. Trevor Jones laced a one-out single to left and scored on a dropped third strike wild pitch, the Mules second run of the game coming from a dropped third strike.
Trevor Ezell, who entered in the ninth, allowed a two-out double in the 11th but nothing more, striking out the side to earn his first win of the season.
The Mules will play two more Saturday at Missouri Southern. Game one is scheduled for a 1 p.m. start time
(Courtesy of UCM Athletics)