By Mike Knipper,
May 23, 2016
ST. CLOUD, Minn. - The ninth-ranked Mules captured the 2016 Central Region championship
with a 7-4 win over Arkansas-Monticello on Monday afternoon at Joe Faber Field. It
is the 17th regional crown in program history and the Mules advance to next week's
NCAA-II World Series in Cary, North Carolina for the first time since 2011.
UCM (42-13) jumped on top right out of the gates when Matt Elliott blasted a leadoff
home run to straightaway center field to put the Mules in front 1-0. The Boll Weevils
(40-16) answered right back in the bottom of the first to tie the game 1-1, but it
could have been much worse for UCM. Arkansas-Monticello loaded the bases with no outs
against Reece Ponak and Travis Steinke drew a walk to force in a run. Lucas Williams
came out of the bullpen and got a pair of strikeouts and a line out to end the inning
and keep the game tied.
The Mules went back in front in the top of the second when Matt Safranek brought home
Derek Cornell with a sacrifice bunt to make it 2-1. The lead grew to 3-1 in the third
when Jake Alexander singled home Elliott following a leadoff double.
The Boll Weevils tied the game in the bottom of the third getting a leadoff home run
from Corey Wood and a bases loaded single from Guy Halbert. UAM took the lead in the
fourth on Mitchell Dornblut's RBI single to lead 4-3. It was the first deficit of
the tournament for the Mules.
The Mules regained the lead for good with three runs in the fifth. Elliott led off
with a double, stole third and scored on Dylan Farrell's single up the middle to knot
the game at 4-4. Later in the inning Derek Cornell singled home Farrell and UCM led
5-4. The Mules then executed a perfect double steal with Cornell taking second and
Jake Alexander coming home to score to make it 6-4.
Alexander's RBI groundout in the sixth brought home Blake Wilfong and the Mules led
7-4.
The UCM pitching staff would make the lead stand up. Williams (4-1) tossed four innings
of relief, allowing three runs on eight hits to earn the win. Tayler Ross came on
in the fifth and tossed 3.2 innings of one-hit ball. Andy Muehlberger relieved Ross
in the eighth and after allowing an infield single to bring the tying run to the plate,
he struck out tournament MVP Corey Wood to keep UCM in front. Grant Gavin came on
in the ninth to secure the win for UCM, he allowed a two-out double, but got Nick
Cerda to groundout to Jackson Schnurbusch at shortstop to end the game and send the
Mules in to a dogpile down the first base line.
The save was Gavin's 13th of the season, putting him alone in second place on UCM's
single-season list. His 16 career saves are the fourth most all-time.
Elliott finished the game 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run and three runs scored.
Alexander was 2-for-5 with two RBI and a run scored.
Gavin, Elliott, Cole Distler and Bennett Oliver were all named to the Central Regional
All-Tournament Team.
The Mules advance to the 17th Division II World Series in program history. They will
square off with Southeast Region Champion Lander in the first round on Sunday, May
29.
