KTGR ESPN 100.5 FM & 1580 AM
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Behind a career-high 12 strikeouts from Bryce Cunningham, No. 9 Vanderbilt blanked University of Missouri baseball, 4-0, Friday evening at Hawkins Field to secure its second-straight victory over the Tigers, as well as a Southeastern Conference series win.
Cunningham teamed up with reliever Miller Green to limit Missouri (10-17, 1-7 SEC) to just one hit in extending the Commodores’ home-field win streak to 13 games.
Cunningham (4-1) picked up where fellow Vanderbilt starter Greysen Carter left off in Thursday’s series-opening Commodore win, quickly retiring the first six Mizzou hitters of the game. The right-hander fanned seven Tigers over the first three frames, surrendering just a Jeric Curtis single to open the third, which would prove to be the lone MU hit of the game.
From that point, Cunningham allowed just two additional baserunners, facing only two hitters over the minimum through his seven innings of work.
Vanderbilt (22-6, 5-3 SEC) made the most of its two early scoring opportunities against Mizzou starter Logan Lunceford, seizing a 2-0 lead in the second on Davis Diaz’s two-out, two-run homer to left center. Matthew Polk, who scored a pair of runs in the contest, sparked the rally with a two-out single off Lunceford.
The Commodores right-fielder started another threat in the fourth, reaching on a Mizzou error to once again put pressure on Lunceford and the Tigers. Jonathan Vastine followed the defensive miscue with a double to put runners at second and third, and RJ Austin singled to score Polk. Moments later, Camden Kozeal laid down a squeeze bunt to bring in a second unearned run in the inning for a 4-0 Vandy lead.
Cunningham wouldn’t need any additional support, as the junior retired 12 of 14 hitters following the Curtis single in the third. He finished his outing with a pair of seventh-inning punchouts, before Green closed out the evening by dispatching all six MU hitters he faced.
Lunceford (1-2) suffered the loss for Mizzou, despite posting a season-high five strikeouts and allowing only two earned runs in his 5.0 innings. Daniel Wissler turned in 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, striking out three hitters, before Victor Quinn logged a hitless eighth inning for the Tigers.
TIGER NOTEBOOK
- Lunceford recorded a season-high five strikeouts in the contest, and his two earned runs allowed matched a career low in SEC play (spanning 10 career starts).
- Mizzou’s three hurlers combined to strike out nine Commodores, matching the Tigers’ SEC season high (March 23 vs. Kentucky).
- Curtis recorded his eighth stolen base of the season with his second steal in as many nights vs. Vandy.
- Missouri dropped to 5-29 all-time vs. Vanderbilt.
- The Tigers also fell to 2-9 in night games and 4-8 in true road contests this season.
- Mizzou was shut out for the third time in eight SEC games this season.
- The Tigers were held to one hit for the second time this season (March 16 at Arkansas).
UP NEXT
The Tigers will look to salvage the final game of the series Saturday (March 30) with a 1 p.m. (CDT) contest against Vanderbilt at Hawkins Field.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For all the latest information on Mizzou baseball, please visit MUTigers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Tigers on X, Instagram and Facebook.
