ST. JOSEPH, Mo. - Missouri Western baseball (1-6) is back in action after a weather driven week off to face third-ranked Central Missouri (5-2) in the MIAA home opener on Sunday and Monday at the Spring Sports Complex.
Action at Griffon Park will commence on Sunday with a single game at 1:00 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Monday with a 1:00 p.m. first pitch.
Tommy Rezac will provide commentary on all three games.
WATCH - MIAA NETWORK
All MIAA football, women's soccer, volleyball, men's basketball and women's basketball, baseball and softball regular season conference games will be streamed live on the MIAA Network. The MIAA Network showcased over 1,500 live broadcasts for its 14 member schools last season. For more information, visit
https://www.themiaanetwork.com/.
LISTEN - GRIFFON SPORTS NETWORK (Varsity Network App & GoGriffons.com/listen)
Live streams of Missouri Western athletics are now available on The Varsity Network app! All home and away football and men's and women's basketball games will be available to listen to for FREE on the Varsity Network App and at
GoGriffons.com/listen. Available on iPhone and Android, fans can access free audio streams for game days on the Varsity Network App. Fans can also receive push notifications as reminders for upcoming games and broadcasts.
Once you download The Varsity Network app, search 'Missouri Western' and select which Griffon teams you want to follow. For more information on The Varsity Network and how to listen to the Griffons,
click here. Audio broadcasts can also be found at
GoGriffons.com/listen. Audio broadcasts will also be archived at
GoGriffons.com/listen in the 'On Demand' section, and on the
Griffon Sports Insider Podcast, which is available on Spotify, Apple and wherever you podcast.
TOP GRIFFON PERFORMERS
Senior
Quinton Robertson has led the way for the Griffons at the plate. The Blue Springs, Missouri, native has slashed .350/.500/.350 with seven hits, four runs and three walks in seven starts this season.
Senior
Jackson Bryant has started the season strong at the plate. Three of his seven hits have been for extra bases, including two doubles and one home run. In addition, he scored four runs and drove in three runners.
Additionally, senior
Rogelio Berumen leads the team with six runs scored, while senior
Quinn Gundelfinger and junior
Frank Gall have each tallied a team-leading six RBIs.
On the bump, junior
Logan Winkelman led the way for Western. The Foley, Minnesota, native has accumulated a 4.00 ERA and leads the team with eight strikeouts in 9.0 innings of work.
Junior
Lynden Bruegman and redshirt freshman
Jayson Shorb have also made a significant impact on the mound, with six strikeouts each.
ABOUT THE MULES
Central Missouri finished the 2024 campaign with an impressive 52-10 (29-4 MIAA) record and was picked to repeat as MIAA champions with 141 points and 11 first-place votes in the MIAA Preseason Coaches' Poll.
After winning against Augustana (S.D.) and Minnesota State in the Central Region Tournament, the Mules advanced to the NCAA Division II World Series. They secured their spot with two impressive home victories in the Super Regional against Arkansas-Monticello. Unfortunately, their bid for the NCAA Division II Championship ended with two close losses: one to Angelo State in 11 innings and another to Indiana (Pa.), with both games decided by just one run.
UCM has a record of 5-2 as it heads into its conference opener this season. Two weeks ago, it won a 3-1 series against Arkansas Tech. Its only loss to the Wonder Boys was a close 4-3 contest that went 12 innings. Additionally, UAM is the only other team to defeat the Mules, securing a 7-5 win during the Houston Winter Invite on the opening weekend.
Senior Chase Heath is a key player to watch for Central Missouri. The catcher has an exceptional batting average of .458, with a total of 11 hits that include four doubles and a triple. Furthermore, he has driven in 10 runs, crossed home plate seven times and has stolen three bases.
Look out for UCM's senior pitcher, Evan O'Toole (1-0). The Canadian right-hander boasts an ERA of 2.25 and a WHIP of 1.25 over 8.0 innings of play. He leads the team with 10 strikeouts while allowing just four walks.
