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UCM Wins MIAA Tournament Championship
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Central Missouri rallied from a 4-1 seventh inning deficit to defeat Emporia State, 8-4, in the second and decisive MIAA Baseball Tournament Championship Game Sunday at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. With the win, UCM became the first MIAA team to win both the regular season and conference titles in the same season since 2005
Tyler Ruch went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, including a two-RBI double in the bottom of the eigtth to give Central Missouri a 7-4 lead. Steffon Williams, the star of the first championship game, went 2-for-2 in the second game with the game-tying RBI single in the bottom of the eighth.
Emporia State starter Austin Anderson pitched 5.1 innings, striking out one and helping the Hornets jump out to a 4-1 lead after the sixth inning. In the seventh inning, Central began its comeback.
Williams scored on an RBI single from Ruch to cut the ESU lead to 4-2 heading into the eighth inning, which turned out to be the game-changing frame. There, the Mules scored six runs to take an 8-4 lead.
After Williams tied the game with a single through the right side with two on base, Albert Selanders knocked in what proved to be the game-winning run on a single to center. Ruch then delivered the knockout punch with his two-RBI double, and Bret Schwartz followed by bringing Ruch home with a single to close out the scoring.
Central Missouri closer Nick Phillips struck out two in the final stanza, including the final out with the bases loaded, to end the game and give the Mules the MIAA's automatic bid to the NCAA South Central Regional.
The 2010 NCAA South Central Regional will be hosted by Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo. The Mules will be the No. 1 seed, while Emporia State earned the No. 3 seed. Nebraska-Omaha was awarded the No. 6 seed, giving the MIAA three of the six bids to the regional. The South Central Regional will be played Thursday through Monday, May 13-17.
2010 NCAA South Central Regional (Warrensburg, Mo.) | Bracket
1. *Central Missouri 47-8
2. Abilene Christian 46-13
3. Emporia State 42-14
4. Incarnate Word 40-16
5. St. Mary's (Texas) 39-17
6. Nebraska-Omaha 32-18
