The Central Missouri Mules are trotting their way into the NCAA Division II College World Series championship game, scoring seven runs in the fifth to eliminate the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears 14-10 on Thursday, June 5 in Cary, N.C.

The second-seeded Mules had the first run in the second, with Cole Kreisel’s sacrifice bunt bringing home Vance Tobol. The Mules were not fazed by an hour-long rain delay, coming out of the dugout in the fourth with both runners in scoring position, brought home by an error and wild pitch. Lenoir-Rhyne had two runs in the top of the fifth, before Central Missouri dashed the Bears’ hopes of advancing to the best-of-three championship with seven runs in the fifth inning. Two of those runs were scored by way of bases-loaded walks, while another three came earlier in the frame with a home run from Jacob Steele. Lenoir-Rhyne attempted a comeback with four runs in the sixth and two in the seventh, but the Mules would ultimately seal the game with four runs in the seventh. The Bears would only claim two of those runs back in the eighth.

Sawyer Allen picked up his seventh win of the season, allowing no earned runs on six hits and one walk with three strikeouts across four innings.

The Mules await the winner of top-seeded Tampa and fifth-seed Northwest Nazarene, whose semifinal was also delayed by weather to Friday at noon. The first game of the best-of-three Division II College World Series championship is Friday afternoon at 5 p.m., with the second game Saturday at 2 p.m. If necessary, the third game is Sunday at 5 p.m.