Box Score
Warrensburg, Mo. – Southwest Baptist Baseball had a tough night at the plate and nothing seemed to go right the final four innings as the Bearcats were defeated by Central Missouri 8-0 on Tuesday night. The loss drops SBU's record to 16-28 (10-20 MIAA) on the season while UCM improves to 30-12 (21-9 MIAA).

A pitcher's duel broke out in the first five innings of the game as both starting pitchers stifled the opposing lineups. The Mules and Bearcats hitters combined for just five hits and six strikeouts over the five innings. After stranding runners in scoring in the 1^st and 2^nd inning, SBU starter Elias Czech was especially effective in innings three through five. Czech recorded three strikeouts and retired nine of the 11 batters faced in those innings. The only runners he allowed to reach did not make it past 1^st base.

SBU's best scoring chance came in the top of the 4^th inning. Tyler Mathys hacked at the first pitch of the inning and smacked a double into right center. Andrew Meier followed with a walk to give SBU two runners on with no outs. However, the Bearcats were unable to convert as Hunter Hisky flied out and Carl Schwettmann bounced into an inning ending double play.

The Mules were able to crack the scoreboard in the bottom of the 6^th inning with five runs to go ahead 5-0. Three of the runs in the inning were charged to Czech while the other two were allowed by reliever Drew Wagner. Central Missouri added two runs in the 7^th and one in the 8^th to make the final score 8-0.

Czech took the loss (2-5), throwing a solid 5.1 innings with three earned runs, four hits, three walks, and four strikeouts. At the plate, Mathys collected the only hits in the ballgame for the Bearcats as he went 2 for 4 with a double.

SBU will head out on the road again Friday, April 27^th to begin a three game weekend series at 3:00 PM against Northwest Missouri State.