Missouri Baseball Splits Doubleheader Against UC San Diego in Extra Innings
This was an eventful couple of games. Missouri fell 8-4 in the first game against UC San Diego and came back out with determination for the second. The night game saw a head coach ejection and extra innings in their 5-4 win against the Tritons.
Missouri Baseball started the game strong against UC San Diego. Unfortunately, they only did that. UC San Diego doubled Missouri's run amount to give them their second loss of the Tony Gwynn legacy event.
Four batters in to the game against UC San Diego, Missouri seemed like they might redeem themselves from yesterday's scoring drought. Lead-off man Tucker Moore drew a walk, stole a base and was advanced to third before a home run by first baseman Jackson Lovich made his final 90 feet an easy trip.
Carter Rustad made quick work of the Tritons in the early innings, retiring the first seven with four strikeouts. UC San Diego wasn't able to get a man on base until the third inning, but Rustad pitched through two runners on to keep the the Tritons off the board. After eight scoreless innings spanning two games, Rustad finally gave up a run in the fourth inning when UC San Diego's Matt Halbach matched Missouri's two-run homer to tie the game.
Without a fielding error committed by Drew Culbertson in the fourth, the home run wouldn't have been enough to tie the game.
It only went downhill from there for the Tigers.
Missouri got Rustad off the mound after the lead-switching next inning, in which he gave up three hits and hit a UC San Diego player to allow a run to score with only one out. Ian Lohse inherited the bases loaded and threw a wild pitch to start his outing, increasing the Tritons lead.
What should have been an out at home in the bottom of the fifth failed due a wide throw from Drew Culbertson. It didn't end there, however. Catcher Mateo Serna threw to third to try to get a runner there, but the ball wasn't caught and rolled away. It could have been a lot worse, only one run scored on that ordeal.
Jeric Curtis brought the Tigers back within one run with a two-run single after the tigers loaded the bases. They weren't able to continue the offensive parade, topping out with four runs on the game.
It didn't stay a close game for long. Ben Pedersen made his Tiger debut in the bottom of the seventh and came in with two runners on. Unfortunately, he gave up a two-run single to increase the lead 8-4.
Missouri was able to rack up hits against the Tritons, but continued to not be able to get them past third. Through 11 hits, Missouri only allowed four to score and stranded seven. Missouri had more hits than UC San Diego to end the game, but the Tritons were able to get more players home.
Missouri has struggled defensively throughout their season so far, recording an error in all but one game. Missouri pitchers have also combined for nine wild pitches so far this season. In this game, they recorded two errors and now have nine errors this season. These errors and wild pitches have tended to come back and bite them, they have allowed six unearned runs to score this season.
There was never a lead of more than one run in the game.
In a game where Missouri and UC San Diego fought for the lead into the 11th inning, Kerrick Jackson was thrown out in the bottom of the ninth inning due to arguing with the home plate umpire and Jackson Lovich became the hero of the game for the 5-4 win.
Missouri's starter Logan Lunceford gave the Tritons an early lead with a double and a single in the second inning. But it was short-lived.
Missouri came right back and got a run to match. Drew Culbertson singled and advanced on a passed ball, Tucker Moore then singled to right field to drive him in. The Tigers took the lead right back thanks to Lovich driving the ball to the shortstop to bring in Moore.
Tritons kept the pressure on by getting two on and bringing another run in to tie it once more, but a ball just out of Culbertson's reach gave UC San Diego the lead again.
The Tigers kept the Tritons offensive threat at bay for two innings and kept UC San Diego from advancing their lead. After Ryan Magdic came in the game as relief for Lunceford, he tagged out Benjamin Rosengard at home after a wild pitch to prevent another run from scoring.
Missouri put up a threat in the sixth inning with two on, but UC San Diego was able to pull through and draw a ground ball from Jedier Hernandez. It didn't come without controversy, however. Missouri did not agree with a called strike on Brock Daniels that would have loaded the bases.
Lunceford had his second rough start of the season. He put up four innings and gave up five hits for three runs, but was able to strikeout four. Magdic came in and struck out four in scoreless two innings to keep the lead at one.
Missouri was determined to keep the game close and they did just that. Second baseman Trevor Austin drove his third home run of the season out of the park to tie the game once again in the top of the seventh. Missouri then went to reliever Daniel Wissler to try to keep it close.
A gift in a hit-by-pitch of Jeric Curtis allowed him to be a menace on the base path. A wild pitch gave the speedster a chance to get to second and then he stole third. UC San Diego gave up a walk to Brock Daniels to put a second man on. But Hernandez couldn't bring them in.
Nic Smith came in after Wissler and loaded the bases with two singles and a walk, but it was the fielder's choice that broke the third tie of the game and gave UC San Diego the lead in the bottom of the eighth.
Missouri received a lead-off hit from Culbertson and a chance to fight back in their final three outs. Moore drew a walk after multiple attempts at bunting and it went to Missouri's current top offensive threat in Austin. He put up a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third with one out. Thomas Curry hit a sacrifice fly to deep right center to bring the game to yet another tie.
Missouri put themselves at risk early in the ninth inning putting two on with nobody out. A bunt attempt that went foul was brought into question by Jackson, who was them promptly ejected. The Tigers brought in Jacob Peaden to try to keep the game tied and bring them to extra innings.
Peaden struck out the first batter he faced to bring them one out away from extra innings. But instead of a final out of the inning, UC San Diego received a hit-by-pitch to load the bases. Lovich was able to keep a toe on the bag on a fully outstretched catch to send the game into extra innings.
In the 10th inning, Missouri wasn't able to do anything. UC San Diego was able to get a man on second, but the Tigers held him there to send them to the 11th.
The Tigers got the go-ahead run on base with a walk, primed for Austin, who got a single to fill the corners. Lovich got an infield single and beat out the throw to first to give the Tigers the lead in the 11th inning. Peaden stayed in the game to close the game.
Missouri almost had to go into 12 innings, but UC San Diego's Matt Halbach fell just a few feet short of a game-tying home run and stranded him on second.
Missouri and UC San Diego put up similar numbers for most of the game. The Tigers had 11 hits, while the Tritons put up 12. There were four times in the game where the score was tied.
It definitely helped that Missouri was able to keep UC San Diego players from making it home. The Tigers pitching kept 14 players on at the end of innings.
The Tigers were retired in order three times. So far this season, Missouri has had a tough time at the plate and can't seem to make solid contact. They have struck out 76 times in seven games so far this season. Tonight they would strikeout 10 times through 11 innings.
Missouri went 2-2 in the Tony Gwynn Legacy event and now hold a record of 4-3 on the season. The Tigers will head back to Columbia for their home opener against Southeast Missouri at 5 p.m on Tuesday, Feb. 27.
