(HOUSTON, Texas) — The 19th-ranked Central Missouri Mules held off Winona State 3-2 on Tuesday morning at Minute Maid Park. The win gave UCM a 2-2 record at the season-opening Houston Winter Invitational.

The Mules jumped on top 2-0 in the first inning. After Trevor Jones and Brad Wilson reached on singles, Tony Sandifer roped a double to the gap in left center scoring both.

Central Missouri tallied another run in the third. Sandifer reached on an error, went to second on another error and scored on Miles Orscheln‘s base hit to left field to give UCM a 3-0 lead.

The Warriors (1-3) got on the board in the seventh. Back-to-back walks put two runners on with one out when Nathan Krause roped a double down the left field line to pull WSU within 3-2. Kyle Gehrs was able to pitch out of the jam and keep UCM in front by one.

The Warriors again threatened in the ninth with back-to-back singles with only one out, but Zach Davis induced a foul out and line out to left to give Central Missouri the win.

Ricky Rivera (1-0) picked up the win in his UCM debut, tossing 5.0 innings allowing just one hit with two walks and two strikeouts. Davis picked up his first save of the season allowing two hits with one strikeout in 1.1 innings of relief.

Chase Blazier (0-1) took the loss for Winona State after giving up three runs, two earned, on five hits in five innings.

The Mules return to action next weekend when they travel to Arkadelphia, Ark. to take on Ouachita Baptist in a four-game series. Game one of the series is set for Friday, Feb. 7 at 2 p.m.

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