Baseball | 5/21/2016 12:25:40 AM

St. Cloud, Minn. – Second seeded Central Missouri used a four run third inning to earn a 6-3 win over sixth seed Emporia State in the second round of the NCAA Division II Central Regional.
 
Central Missouri got things started in the top of the second inning as Bennett Oliver hit his MIAA single season record tieing 23^rd home run. Later in the inning Jackson Schnurbusch would double to center field scoring Cole Distler.
 
The Mules would plate four more in the top of the third inning as Oliver got things started with a double driving in Jake Alexander. Derek Cornell would then single driving in Oliver before Distler homered to right field driving in two.
 
ESU would break up the shutout in the bottom of the sixth inning as Daniel LaMunyon doubled to drive home Jonny Hodges. ESU got a couple more back in the bottom of the eight as Dalton Wheat homered and Ryan McBroom singled to drive home Evan Koehler.
 
For the Mules Oliver was two for four with two runs scored and two runs driven in on the night. Distler finished two for two with two runs scored and two runs driven in as he reached base all four times he came to the plate.
 
For the Hornets Ryan McBroom and Wade Hanna each went two for four and four Hornet relievers combined to pitcher six innings and allow just two hits.
 
On the mound for the Mules Ethan Westphal went 7.1 innings striking out nine to pick up the victory.
 
Emporia State will now face top seeded St. Cloud State in an elimination game at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow while Central Missouri takes on eighth seeded Minnesota State at 7 p.m. from Joe Faber Field in St. Cloud, Minn.