In a Heartbreaking Late Loss, Mizzou Baseball is Swept in Series by Kansas

It came down to the final out of the ninth, but the Tigers weren't able to walk-off the Jayhawks at home

Catcher Mateo Serna heads back to the dugout against Kansas. | Sam Simon

COLUMBIA, Mo. — "Mr. Brightside" played, but the Missouri Tigers fans weren't able to leave the stadium happy.

Despite Missouri's down season, and losing 9-3 to then-No. 23 Kansas the week prior, Mizzou seemed like they might turn it around in front of the largest crowd Taylor Stadium has seen this season. But the game followed suit with the rest of the season.

The Tigers dropped a late lead and went on to lose to the Jayhawks 6-5. This pushes Mizzou's losing streak to 12 games.

Heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, the Tigers were down 3-1. It took two swings for Mizzou to break their way back into the game.

A pitching change from Kansas kicked off the inning and left fielder Brock Daniels knocked out a lead-off homer off the new pitcher. A second pitching change in the inning went just as poorly for the Jayhawks, as shortstop Jackson Lovich, a Kansas native, spotted the first pitch out of the hand of Dalton Smith and drove it into the scoreboard.

It was then "Mr. Brightside" by The Killers rang out in Taylor Stadium.

The Tigers followed their anthem with another scoreless pitching performance and two more runs to take the lead. The Kansas pitching continued to struggle, hitting and walking the first two batters of the fifth. A double from third baseman Chris Patterson brought one runner across, the other was called out at home.

A much needed insurance run was added later in the inning, as Patterson was brought home on a single from second baseman Keegan Knutson. The Tigers were now up by two, but it didn't last.

Mizzou reliever Victor Christal made his first appearance in three weeks and tossed a gem. He put up two scoreless innings at a key point in the game. He did not allow a hit and walked just one batter. He followed a scoreless outing from fellow reliever PJ Green, who had allowed runs in his last five innings.

Kansas kicked off the game with a three-run homer off of the Tigers' starter Josh McDevitt, who made his first start of the season. McDevitt had a rough first inning, but followed it with a clean second.

Following the first homer, the Tigers held the Jayhawks scoreless until another homer left the park in the top of the sixth. This one was a solo shot that made it a one-run game.

As the fans trickled out of the stadium, the runs started to come in. Not for the Tigers, however.

The top of the eighth saw their next scoring after reliever Tony Neubeck walked the bases loaded and then allowed a sacrifice fly to tie the game. Despite a good stop from Knutson at second, another run crossed when the ball popped out of catcher Mateo Serna's glove at the plate, giving the Jayhawks a late lead.

Reliever Ian Lohse was handed the ball for the top of the ninth and kept it a one-run game. The game would go to the final half-inning.

First basemen Cayden Nicoletto laced a single through the gap in left to put the first runner on. Patterson, who had two doubles in the game, stepped up to the plate with two outs, but he struck out and left Nicoletto at second.