WARRENSBURG, Missouri – The No. 3-ranked University of Central Missouri baseball team ran its win streak to 24 in a row with a doubleheader sweep of the Northwest Missouri State University Bearcats Saturday at Crane Stadium/Tompkins Field.
 
Central Missouri won the opener, 8-4, and then topped Northwest in the nightcap in seven innings, 12-2.
 
The Mules ran their MIAA record to 25-1 and took their overall mark to 29-4, while the Bearcats saw their losing streak extended to eight in a row. Northwest is 12-20 overall and 10-16 in MIAA play.
 
GAME ONE
Central Missouri extended its winning streak to 23 in a row with an 8-4 triumph over Northwest. The Mules out-hit the Bearcats, 10-7, and each squad committed one error.
 
UCM starter Mason Green entered the contest with an 8-0 record and sparkling 2.16 earned run average. Green had allowed one run and had struck out 23 batters in his last two starts against Pittsburg State and Central Oklahoma.
 
Northwest broke through and put a run on the board in the top of the second with a two-out rally. Peter Carlson got the offense going with a bunt single to third. Drew Mackie followed with a single to right that moved Carlson to third. Colton Thomas delivered a two-strike single to right to plate Carlson and give Northwest a 1-0 lead.
 
The Mules evened it up with a run in the bottom half of the second on a pair of hits.
 
The Bearcats used a two-out attack in the third. Connor Quick singled up the middle after the first two Bearcats were retired. Facing a two-ball, two strike count, Ryan Koski connected on a two-run home run to right field to put the 'Cats on top 3-1. It was only the fourth home run allowed this season by UCM's Green.
 
UCM's No. 9 batter Scott Wolverton led off the bottom of the third with a home run to left-center. Bearcat starter Zach Wiese then loaded the bases with a hit batter and two walks. UCM's Cole Taylor lifted a sacrifice fly to right to knot the score again at 3-3.
 
Northwest's Carlson launched his team-leading ninth homer to left field leading off the top of the fourth. However, UCM's Donovan Ditto equaled Carlson with a homer in the bottom half of the fourth that left the game tied at 4-4.
 
The Mules took a 6-4 lead in the bottom of the fifth taking advantage of a fielding error by third baseman Brett Holden. Taylor ripped a two-out, two-run double to right-center that was almost caught by a diving Koski in the outfield.
 
UCM's Erik Webb extended his hitting streak to 28 games in a row with an RBI double down the left field line in the seventh that gave the Mules a 7-4 lead.
 
Northwest looked to have a run-scoring chance in the eighth after Koski reached on an error and Carlson singled with two outs for his third hit of the game. However, Koski was gunned down at third looking to advance on a ball that got away from UCM catcher Scott Wolverton to end the inning.
 
The Mules added another sacrifice fly in the eighth to take an 8-4 lead.
 
UCM's Green (9-0) exited after six innings on the hill having been touched up for six hits, four runs and two home runs, while striking out 11 Bearcats. Green entered the contest having allowed three home runs all season. Northwest is the first team to hit two home runs against Green this season.
 
Northwest's Wiese (2-4) pitched 7 2/3 innings allowing 10 hits and eight runs (six earned). Wiese came within one out of a complete game after having thrown 109 pitches. Blaine Hanf relieved Wiese and got the final out of the eighth. Hanf has allowed only one hit in 20 at-bats this season with two outs.
 
GAME TWO
Bearcat skipper Darin Loe turned to freshman Phil Brennaman to make his third start on the mound in the nightcap.
 
The Bearcats struck first in the nightcap with an unearned run in the top first. Brett Holden led off with a single to left. Holden took second on a wild pitch. Ryan Koski reached on an error by UCM second baseman Donovan Ditto that allowed Holden to score from second.
 
The Mules answered back with a two-run first of their own. The Mules took advantage of a ground-rule double and sacrifice fly to plate two runs.
 
Northwest evened it up at 2-2 by taking advantage of another miscue at second by Ditto. Holden led off the third by getting hit by a pitch. Holden scooted over to third on the second error of the game by Ditto when he mishandled a ground ball from Connor Quick. Koski delivered a run-scoring single up the middle to plate Holden for an unearned run and draw even with the Mules.
 
The Mules got to Brennaman in the fourth as he allowed two hits, two walks and two hit batters. UCM batted around and posted four runs to take a 6-2 lead. Loe removed Brennaman (2-2) with two outs in the fourth having given up six runs, four walks and three hits, while striking out one UCM batter.
 
Bearcat reliever Tanner Smith induced the final out of the fourth and then allowed a run on a sacrifice fly in the sixth as UCM increased its lead to 7-2.
 
UCM's Erik Webb, who earlier in the game extended his hitting streak to 29 in a row, lashed a one-out, two-run single to center in the sixth to give the Mules a 9-2 advantage.
Loe turned to reliever Brandin Hallier to handle the pitching duties in the seventh. Hallier was tagged for three runs by giving up two hits and a walk as the Mules closed out the game, 12-2.
 
The Mules out-hit the Bearcats in game two, 9-4.
 
NOTES: Northwest turned a pair of double plays in the opening game of the doubleheader to up its MIAA-leading total to 27 this season … Carlson hit his 19th career home run in game one … Carlson recorded only his second career three-hit game in the opener as he recorded a single, a home run and a single against the Mules … the home run by Koski was his third dinger on the season … Koski has 13 multi-hit games this season … Koski in the midst of a five-game hitting streak (longest active streak on the squad).