The top-ranked Central Missouri State baseball team advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II College World Series in Montgomery, Alabama with a 2-1 win over The Delta St. on Monday. The game was a bit of revenge for CMSU, which lost the 2004 National Championship to DSU.
The Mules were able to get the win thanks to timely hitting and dominant pitcher. CMSU squeezed out just five base hits against Delta St., but one of them was a lead off home run by center fielder Will Bradley in the first inning. In the bottom half of the inning, DSU tied it at 1-1 with an RBI bunt by right fielder Brett Donahoo.
The final tally of the game didn’t require a CMSU base hit. With one out, left fielder Cody Berg was hit by a pitch and center fielder Will Bradley walked to put two on. The two then advanced to second and third when pitcher Brad Lightsey threw a wild pitch. Catcher Brent Lacy couldn’t advance the Mules cause with a pop up to short stop.
With two outs, the stage seemed set for short stop Shawn Callahan, who earlier in the day was named the NCAA Division II position player of the year. His .428 batting average and 85 RBI’s didn’t improve with his at-bat in the fifth, but he did load the bases after getting hit with a pitch. Third baseman Josh Eftink stepped to the plate and walked with the bases loaded to make it 2-1.
Starting pitcher Josh Outman completed eight strong innings, but in the ninth he allowed back-to-back singles to catcher Craig Newton and Donahoo to lead off the inning. Reliever Nick Webber earned his 11th save by putting the next three batters down in order for the win.
The Mules improved to 57-7 on the season and will play again on Thursday night.
Before the game CMSU pitcher Danny Powers, who is 15-1, was named the NCAA Division II Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year. His 127 strikeouts is a school record.
