JOPLIN, Mo. - (
Championship Central) Central Missouri put the pressure on from the get-go and never let up. The Mules ripped 11 runs on 15 hits en route to winning the 2021 MIAA Baseball Championship Tournament, presented by Mammoth Sports Construction today. The tournament is hosted by Missouri Southern State University at Warren Turner Field. In the three games in Joplin, Mo., the Mules scored 31 runs and won by an average margin of over five runs.
Fans can purchase the official baseball championship gear by going to the
MIAA team store.
MIAA Player of the Year Dusty Stroup banged a two-run home run to left in the top of the first inning and the UCM bats were hot early and often.
Trailing 2-0, Pittsburg State's Aaron Gerdes doubled to score Cruz Aranda in the bottom of the first and the day was looking to be a slugfest for both clubs. But, it was all Central Missouri after the first inning.
UCM tacked on four more in the third and one in the fifth to go up 7-1. The Gorillas scored once in the bottom of the fifth, but the Central Missouri pitching was too much from there.
Connor Dryer tossed 5.0 innings for UCM to notch the championship victory on the mound. He struck out seven and walked two batters. He allowed both runs on four base hits.
Offensively for the Mules, Stroup finished 2-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. He had a double and home run. Alex Madera and Donovan Ditto each finished with three hits. Six different players had at least one RBI.
PSU's Aranda went 2-for-4 to lead the team at the plate. He scored a run also. Gerdes and Mason Hartman both laced a double for the Gorillas.
Central Missouri is the automatic qualifier for the NCAA Central Regional, which begins Thursday, May 27. The other MIAA teams will have to see if they receive an at-large bid during the NCAA Selection Show, which airs live on NCAA.com at 9 p.m. CT on Sunday. The 2021 DII baseball championship is June 5-12 in Cary, N.C.
2021 MIAA All-Championship Team (listed by team)
- Dusty Stroup - Central Missouri
- Donovan Ditto - Central Missouri
- Mason Green - Central Missouri
- Harrison Schnurbusch - Central Missouri
- Bennett Laurence - Central Oklahoma
- Kyle Crowl - Central Oklahoma
- Zach Parish - Missouri Southern
- Blain Ohlmeier - Pittsburg State
- Garrett McGowan - Pittsburg State
- Dawson Pomeroy - Pittsburg State
- Greyson Pinkett - Pittsburg State
Championship Most Outstanding Player: Josh Schumacher - Central Missouri