Central Missouri Mules
Mid-America Intercollegiate
Athletics Association |
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While a "mule” is commonly used
describe an infertile offspring of two animals of different
species – most frequently male donkey with a female
horse – the Mules of Central Missouri are nothing but
potent. Central Missouri is the winningest NCAA baseball program
of this millennium and have won 20 MIAA titles, 13 regional
crowns and found themselves dogpiling on the mound to celebrate
the 1994 and 2003 DII championships. Last Sunday the Mules
battled through 20 innings of hardball action to claim their
13th MIAA Post-Season Tournament title in the 15 years. CMU
had to wake up with the roosters and complete the final two
innings of a 11-4 loss to Emporia State which sent them to
the loser’s bracket. Disappointed but undaunted, the
stubborn Mules returned to the field to eliminate Fort Hayes
State and then came from behind to earn the automatic bid
to the NCAA-II Central Regional Tournament in a 4-3 Emporia
State. Now the Mules are in Emporia, Kansas as the number
four seed in th e
Central Regional, playing for a chance for another College
World Series appearance.
Head coach Tommy Myers is finishing his first
year at the helm of Mules’ ship. Myers had been to UMC
previously as an assistant coach for the 2000-2003 seasons
under current Kansas State head coach Brad Hill. While with
the Mules, the club amassed a .836 winning percentage along
with three consecutive seasons with 50 or more wins. UCM also
led the league in batting average each of his three seasons.
Myers has the Mules kicking up their heels once again and
is well on his way to becoming yet another UCM head coach,
like Hill and Arkansas’ Dave Van Horne, who were head
Mule skippers become leading major DI programs.
The Mules pack a punch both on the mound
as well as at the plate. Offensively senior All-American third
baseman Iain Dykins has been the straw that stirs Central
Missouri’s drink throughout his career. Last season
he was a first-team All-MIAA selection after ranked second
on the team with a .377 batting average, 63 RBI, 14 homers
and 19 doubles. His numbers are down a bit this season, but
still is just as dangerous at the plate. His 11 homeruns and
53 RBI pace the team and he is batting .307 for the season.
UCM has three batters hitting over or near .400 for the season.
Senior Balin Bergman leads the team with a .418 batting average
and has a .477 on base percentage as the tough first baseman
isn’t afraid to get hit by pitch as he has been plunked
11 times. Outfielder Blain Rutledge adds speed (19 stolen
bases) and defense (five assists) to a .404 batting average
to make him an invaluable member of the team. He also has
seven homeruns and 16 doubles for a .617 slugging percentage.
A good post season by speedy senior could raise Clay Weatherford’s
.392 batting average over .400 as well. Shortstop Bryan McBryde
who has played brilliantly all four years in Warrensburg may
have saved his best season for his last. This year the senior
leader who has started all 56 games is clubbing the ball for
a .374 average with 16 doubles, two triples and five homeruns.
He leads the team with 57 runs and has also added 15 stolen
bases. Three other important members of the Mule attack are
junior college transfer Mike Hallam (.346, 7, 41), junior
outfielder and second team All-MIAA selection Will Feil  (.345,
2, 30, 12 SBs) as well as slugging senior catcher Luis Peres
(.316, 8, 31).
The pitcher no team wants to see taking the
mound against them is breakout performer and MIAA Pitcher
of the Year Mark Carey. Carey only made nine appearances last
season and threw just 11 innings, but has become one of the
most effective arms in the country this year. He leads the
starters with a 2.78 ERA and a 10-1 record. In 90 innings
he has only allowed 68 hits while striking out 93. Sophomore
lefty Danny Potje also was limited to a bullpen role last
season but is the Mule’s number two pitcher. He has
compiled a 7-2 record and a 3.58 ERA in 12 games (11 starts).
Potje has averaged at least a strikeout per inning (63 in
60.1 IP) and also nice control with only 18 walks. Senior
Jared Potts is much better than his 6-5 record and 5.11 ERA
indicate. Instead focus on his 81 strikeouts in 68.2 innings
and know that he went 7-0 from the start of April to the end
of the season last year.
The pitcher assigned to close out games is
junior submariner Chris Matlock. Matlock pitched previously
at Longview Community College where helped the Lakers win
back-to-back national titles, and was named the team’s
most valuable pitcher both seasons. This year he is 4-2 in
30 appearances with ten saves. In 50 innings he has struck
out 57 batters while only allowing 37 hits and nine walks.
Freshman Tom Larimore has been Matlock’s extremely capable
setup man with a 2-1 record and 2.70 ERA in twenty appearances.
In 30 relief innings Larimore has struck out 30 batters and
only issued nine walks and 25 hits.
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