Box Score WARRENSBURG, Mo. — The University of Central Missouri baseball scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally for a 7-5 win over Pittsburg State University in the opening game of the best two-of-three NCAA Super Regional series Thursday (May 22).

The No. 3 ranked Mules (42-11) need one more win over the No. 15 ranked Gorillas (42-11) to advance to the 2025 NCAA Division II College World Series. Pitt State will need a win in game two Friday (May 23) to extend the series. Friday's contest has been pushed up to a Noon start due to the threat of evening rain showers.

Dagen Brewer smacked a two-run home run in the top of the first inning to stake the Gorillas to an early 2-0 lead.

The Mules tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth and UCM pushed in front with three more runs in the fifth - thanks to three hits and an error - against Pitt State starter Maddox Thornton. Thornton exited after 4.2 innings, allowing three earned runs and registering seven strikeouts.

Brewer added a run-scoring single in the sixth to trim the UCM margin to 5-3 and the Gorillas knotted the score at 5-5 on Kadyn Williams' two-run single that brought home Rickey Sanchez and Drew Bugner.

Pitt State reliever Brady Pacha (5-2) issued a leadoff walk to Cole Kreisel to open the bottom of the eighth. Cooper Crouch came on in relief of Pacha and Kreisel stole second base and advanced to third on catcher Nixon Brannan's throwing error.

Isaiah Keller then walked and stole second base before Will Krzykowski delivered a two-run double to push the Mules back in front.

UCM's J.D. McReynolds (7-0) allowed the tying run in the eighth but bounced back to strike out the Pitt State side in the bottom of the ninth to seal the win for the Mules.