Kyle Grieshaber hit a go-ahead two-run home run with two outs in the seventh inning and the fourth-ranked Central Missouri Mules beat Arkansas-Monticello 2-1 in the Astros in Action D-II Invitational finale on Monday afternoon at Minute Maid Park. The Mules complete the season-opening tournament at 3-1.
The Mules trailed 1-0 after the third and were held scoreless through the first six frames as they stranded eight runners on base and couldn’t get the big hit.
That all changed in the seventh. Jon Cotter led off with a walk and went all the way to third on a botched pick off attempt. After a pop-up on the infield, Dusy Maas hit a chopper towards third. Cotter broke for home, but was caught in a rundown and tagged out for the second out of the inning. With Maas at second and a 1-0 count, Grieshaber belted a home run into the Crawford Boxes in left field for his second home run of the tournament.
Grieshaber finished the day 2-for-4 with the two RBI. Cotter was 1-for-2 and Brad Wilson picked up the only other Mule hit going 1-for-4.
The Mules are back in action Feb. 16 and 17 when MIAA opens at Fort Hays State. The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m. and a single nine-inning game on Sunday also at 1 p.m.
