WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The University of Central Missouri baseball team capitalized on a three-run fifth inning to erase a brief 5-4 lead and pull in front for an eventual 7-6 victory over Pittsburg State University Sunday (Mar. 18).
With the win, the No. 5 ranked Mules (19-4, 10-2 MIAA) took two of three games in the series from the Gorillas (16-8, 8-4 MIAA).
Pitt State plated three runs in the top of the fifth inning to turn a 4-2 deficit into a 5-4 advantage. Cody White, who collected three hits in the contest, singled in a run. Colton Pogue added an RBI single and Josh Whisler drew a bases loaded walk in the frame to give the Gorillas the lead.
UCM countered with three runs in the bottom of the frame, including a pair of unearned runs against reliever Ethan Vanderpool (2-1).
Pitt State pulled within a run in the top of the eighth on Tyson Cushman's RBI groundout, but the Gorillas were unable to push across the tying run.
Pitt State will return to action Tuesday (Mar. 20) when the Gorillas travel to Tahlequah, Okla., for an MIAA match-up against Northeastern State University at 2 p.m.