(WARRENSBURG, Mo.) — The 29th-ranked Mules baseball team swept a doubleheader with Southwest Baptist on Saturday afternoon at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field. The Mules won game one 3-1 and took the second game, 8-4.

The Mules (6-5, 3-1 MIAA) fell behind 1-0 in the top of the second on an RBI single by Ross Wolfe.

UCM evened the game at 1-1 in the home half of the third inning on a sacrifice bunt by Tony Sandifer with runners on the corners, plating Trevor Jones.

The go-ahead runs would come across the plate in the bottom of the fourth on a single to right center by Brad Jelinek, scoring Matt Molbury. The next batter, Jones, laid down a bunt single to right side of the infield, plating Jackson Schnurbusch, pushing the Mules’ lead to 3-1.

Central Missouri starter Ricky Rivera (2-0) picked up the win. The 6-2 junior from Dorado, Puerto Rico, went the distance, tossing seven innings, allowing five hits on a run (earned), walking two and fanning five Bearcats.

In game two, the Mules scored twice in the first, second and third innings. With runners on first and second in the opening frame, Jake Alexander singled to right, scoring Brad Wilson. Alexander would advance to second on a fielding error by the right fielder on that same play. After Tucker Cross walked to load the bases, Molbury drew a walk, plating Sandifer to put the Mules in front, 2-0.

In the second inning, Barrett Noirfalise singled up the middle, plating Jones, stretching UCM’s lead to 3-0. The fourth run came via an RBI single to left field by Alexander.

The third inning scoring came via RBI singles from Wilson and Sandifer. The Mules sent seven batters to the plate in the third inning.

The Mules tacked on a seventh run in the bottom of the sixth thanks to an RBI single to left by Cross that plated Sandifer.

SBU scored three times in the top of the eighth. Christian Binger doubled home Landon Young, Jake Vore singled home Binger and Spencer Blacksher scored on a throwing error by Schnurbush at second base.

Central Missouri got one of the runs back in the bottom half of the inning courtesy of an RBI single by Cross, his third hit of the game, making it 8-4.

Zak Anstine came on in relief for starter Kyle Gehrs in the eighth inning with one out. Anstine faced five batters and recorded one out. He allowed a run, one hit and hit two batters.

AJ Walkenhorst relieved Anstine and finished the final 1 1/3 innings, allowing one run on one hit and striking out a pair for his first save of the season.

Gehrs (1-1) earned his first win of the season, tossing 7 1/3 innings, allowing eight hits, two runs (both earned), and striking out seven.

The Mules four-through-six hitters went a combined 8-for-12 with five RBIs, a run and a walk.

Central Missouri will travel to Northeastern State to take on the RiverHawks in a four-game series from Feb. 28-March 2. First pitch for the Friday, Feb. 28 game is set for 2 p.m. The two teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, March 1, at noon and conclude the series on Sunday, March 2, for a single game at noon.