Winning 50 games this season, the University of Central Missouri was not ready to slow down in its home Super Regional.
Central Missouri built a 5-0 lead through 5 innings and exploded for 6 more in the sixth to take an 11-6 win over the University of Arkansas at Monticello in Game 1 of the NCAA Division II series Friday in Warrensburg, Mo.
Game 2 is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, and the Boll Weevils (35-23), who had won 4 straight and 7 of the previous 8, will need a victory to force a winner-take-all Game 3 immediately following. The series winner will advance to the national finals starting June 1 in Cary, N.C.
The Weevils’ first appearance in a Super Regional was scoreless until the top-seeded Mules (51-8) jumped on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning with a 1-run Jack Schark single.
Vance Tobol and Josh Patrick (2-run) launched home runs in the fourth inning to make it a 4-0 Central Missouri lead. That was enough to get to UAM starter Connor Irvine (9-2), who allowed 5 hits, walked 3 and struck out 2.
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A run scored on a Max Holy grounder to make it a 5-0 lead in the fifth.
Roc Hawthorne continued his postseason onslaught with a solo homer in the sixth to put the Weevils on the board. Hawthorne has driven in a run or more in each of the last 5 games and has 10 RBI in 11 postseason games.
The same inning, Cade Cancilla batted in a run on a pop-up to shortstop. But Central Missouri emerged for its big inning thanks to a Brennen vanBreusegen double, Chase Heath single, 2-run Carter Young single, Jacob Steele run on a wild pitch and Holy sacrifice flyout.
Chaz Poppy hit a solo homer in the eighth to pull UAM within 11-3. Kirk Woolf then popped a 3-run shot with 2 outs in the ninth.
Central Missouri had 10 hits to UAM’s 7. Two errors and leaving 7 men on base hindered the Weevils, while the Mules left 3 on and made an error.
Jacob McDaniel, Kyle Roop and Trey Miller also toed the rubber for the Weevils.
Conner Wolf held UAM to 2 earned runs on 3 hits in 5 innings. Three other Mules took the mound.