Big day by quarterback fuels Mules

Eric Czerniewski threw for a career-high four touchdowns Saturday to lead the University of Central Missouri past Emporia State 42-14.

Czerniewski completed 14 of 19 passes for 283 yards and wasn’t sacked once in a MIAA game played in Warrensburg.

Czerniewski connected twice with running back Glenn Milner for first-half touchdowns.

The teammates combined for a 56-yard scoring play with 4:48 left in the  first quarter. Mark Starks booted the extra point to give the Mules a 7-0 lead.

Starks went 6-for-6 on point-after touchdowns.

The Mules’ defense boosted the lead to 14-0 before the end of the first quarter.

Marc Tiernan returned a blocked punt 10 yards for a touchdown.

Czerniewski and tight end DeMarco Cosby hooked up on a 55-yard scoring play midway through the second quarter, giving the Mules a 28-0 halftime lead.

Cosby caught four passes for 121 yards.

Czerniewski scored on a 3-yard run with 3:08 left in the third quarter for a 35-0 lead.

Fullback Brent Boehringer hauled in a 2-yard TD pass from Czerniewski 40 seconds into the fourth quarter to complete the Mules’ scoring.

Sheldon Smith threw touchdowns to Sean Partridge (39 yards) and Xavier Smith (67 yards) in the fourth quarter for Emporia State.

Smith finished with three catches for 119 yards. He threw only eight times, completing  three of them for 115 yards. He was sacked twice.

The Mules (5-1, 3-1 MIAA) will host Northwest Missouri State at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in another MIAA matchup