Baseball | 5/15/2016 1:29:36 PM

St. Charles, Mo. – Top seeded Central Missouri racked up 20 hits on the way to a 16-8 victory over third seeded Washburn to earn a slot in the MIAA Baseball Championship Game.
 
Central Missouri got the scoring going in the bottom of the first as Matt Elliott hit a home run to right center field on the third pitch of the inning. Cole Distler would then single to drive home Jake Alexander making it an early 2-0 lead. The inning would not end with that though as Matt Safranek  would hit a single back through the middle scoring Derek Cornell and Bennett Oliver.
 
Washburn would answer in the top of the second by cutting the lead in half taking advantage of a Mule error and wild pitch for David Gauntt and Lance Barkley to score runs. The Ichabod’s were not done as they took the lead in the top of the third as Riley Krane led the inning off with a home run. Barkly would then drive home Kyle Carnahan with a sacrifice fly followed by a triple to right by Bowe Behymer that drove that scored Gauntt.
 
Washburn would grab another run in the top of the fifth as Behymer grounded out a score Gauntt. Central Missouri got a run back in the bottom half of the fifth as Matt Safranek his a sacrifice fly scoring Jake Alexander.
 
The Mules would retake the lead in the bottom half of the sixth as Jake Alexander doubled down the right field driving in two. UCM would add on some insurance as Matt Safranek doubled to drive in Cole Distler in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Washburn cut the lead to one in the top of the eight inning as Lance Barkley scored when UCM threw out a runner at second base attempting to steal.
 
Central Missouri would add insurance in the bottom of the eighth scoring eight runs as Bennett Oliver, Derek Cornell, Cole Distler and Matt Safranek all singled to drive in runs. Dylan Farrell drove in the other two runs in the inning hitting a double to right center. Cole Gardner would drive in the final Ichabod run with a fielders choice in the top of the ninth inning.
 
For the Mules Safranek went four for four with five runs driven in while Matt Elliott was three for three with four runs scored. Alexander finished four for six with three RBI and two runs scored while Distler went three for five with three runs driven in. For the Ichabods David Gauntt was two for three with three runs scored and Lance Barkley was two for three with two runs scored.
 
On the mound Reece Ponak pitched 2.1 innings of relief allowing one run and striking out two while Lucas Williams came on in the eighth inning to pick up the save.
 
UCM will now await the winner of Missouri Western and Emporia State in the MIAA Championship Game scheduled for approximately 4 p.m. from the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles, Mo.