KTGR ESPN 100.5 FM & 1580 AM
COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Texas A&M sent 15 batters to the plate as part of a nine-run third inning, ultimately handing Missouri a 13-5 defeat Thursday evening in the opening game of the two clubs’ Southeastern Conference series at Blue Bell Park.
Four different Aggies posted multi-RBI performances, as the home club took advantage of 10 walks and a season-high four errors committed by the Missouri defense.
The Aggies (21-13, 6-7 SEC) cashed in on five walks handed out by Mizzou pitchers in the decisive rally, including four in a row by Tiger starter Logan Lunceford (3-2) to start the inning. After the fifth walk of the frame forced home the tying run, Jace LaViolette singled home the go-ahead run, and Ryan Targac drove home two more with a base hit to left.
Jordan Thompson added to the Aggie lead with a two-run homer to left-center, before an error and back-to-back singles led to the ninth A&M run of the inning. Jack Moss’s base hit scored Hank Bard, capping a string of seven straight Aggie batters reaching base safely.
Texas A&M’s biggest scoring inning of the season overturned a 3-1 Mizzou lead, spoiling a promising start to the night by the Tiger offense. Carlos Pena’s one-out walk forced home the first run of the game in the second, after A&M starting pitcher Nathan Dettmer issued a pair of walks and hit Dylan Leach with a pitch to load the bases.
The lead would be short-lived for the Tigers (21-12, 4-9 SEC), as Trevor Werner’s 433-foot solo shot to left-center field tied the game in the home half of the second.
But Mizzou went back to work in the third, using a Luke Mann leadoff single and a Hank Zeisler two-run blast to right-center handed the Tigers a two-run advantage.
The Tigers scored a pair of runs in the fifth, using a Trevor Austin leadoff hit and a walk to Zeisler to set up a scoring opportunity. Austin came home on a Matt Garcia grounder to the right side, before a two-out wild pitch allowed a second runner to cross the plate.
A&M answered once again, however, plating two unearned runs in the bottom of the inning to reclaim its seven-run cushion.
Nic Smith provided one bright spot for the Tigers, as the freshman left-hander turned in a career-high 5 2/3 innings of solid relief, allowing just three unearned runs on three hits.
Mann logged the lone two-hit effort by a Tiger, while Zeisler reached base in three of his four trips to the plate, driving in two runs on his 10th home run of the season.
TIGER NOTEBOOK
- With the setback, the Tigers fell to 38-54-2 all-time vs. Texas A&M
- Lunceford’s 2.0-inning stint marked the shortest of his seven career appearances as a Tiger
- Zeisler’s 10th home run of the season hiked his career total to 41 round-trippers
- Zeisler registered his team-best ninth multi-RBI game
- The Tigers committed a season-high four runs, marking their first four-error game since May 1, 2021 at Alabama
- Mizzou surrendered four unearned runs, which also marked a 2023 season high
- Garcia extended his hit streak to four straight games with his seventh-inning single
- MU dropped to 0-7 on the road in SEC play this season and suffered its ninth straight SEC road setback, dating back to last May
UP NEXT
Mizzou and Texas A&M continue their three-game series Friday (April 14) evening with a 6 p.m. (CDT) contest at Blue Bell Park.
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 Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
