Despite outhitting the University of Central Missouri, errors came back to haunt the University of Arkansas at Monticello baseball team again.
Five errors saddled the Boll Weevils, and Central Missouri scored 4 runs in the opening frame on its way to a 9-4 victory Saturday and a 2-game sweep of the Weevils in the NCAA Division II Super Regional series in Warrensburg, Mo.
The Mules (52-8), the top seed in the Central Region, have punched their ticket to the national finals starting June 1 in Cary, N.C. UAM (35-24), the No. 6 seed, finished a banner season with its first regional championship in program history, going 3-0 in the first stage of the NCAA tournament after winning the Great American Conference tournament and regular-season tri-championship with Arkansas Tech and Harding.
UAM committed 2 errors Friday in an 11-6 loss to Central Missouri, but didn’t finish without posting 3 runs in the ninth inning. The Weevils, who had 10 hits to the Mules’ 9 in Game 2, were in position for a greater ninth-inning threat, but a pop-up left the bases full to end the game.
Charles Peacock (3-5) gave up 6 runs, 2 earned, on 5 hits in the first 2 innings for UAM. Peacock struck out 2.
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Dylan Vail gave up a run on 2 hits in the third inning. Nelson Mercado, who earned 10 saves this season, fanned 4 and held the Mules to an earned run on 2 hits in the final 6 innings.
Vance Tobol and Chase Heath, each with 2 hits, smashed a solo home run each for Central Missouri. Heath drove in 4 runs and Tobol 2 on the day.
Jack Schark and Cole Moore each drove in a run for the Mules, who led 4-1 after the first inning. UAM matched Central Missouri run for run in the next two innings to trail 7-4, but a run each in the fifth and eighth gave the Mules the winning cushion.
UAM was on the ropes after Logan Jones batted into a double play in the bottom of the ninth. Roc Hawthorne then was hit by a pitch, Camden Tanner singled through the left side, and Kirk Woolf was hit to load the bases. Chaz Poppy then popped out to second base to end the game.
Woolf (2 doubles), Tanner, Poppy and Aidan Garrett each had 2 hits. Woolf drove in 1 or more runs and hit safely in each of the last 7 games, while batting in 15 runs in the last 5.
Reliever Bryce Taylor (4-0) allowed 3 hits in 2 ⅓ innings for Central Missouri. Four other Mules took the mound.