Kameron Misner’s seventh-inning home run that all but sealed Missouri’s 9-2 win over Kentucky on Sunday at Taylor Stadium was simply Devine.
That’s Devine, as in Pavilion. Missouri’s indoor football facility is probably still feeling the effects of Misner’s massive blast to right center field. Misner rocked a pitch from Hunter Rigsby well over 420 feet above the final black “S” in “MISSOURI TIGERS”, taking a long look as he watched the baseball sail away.
“I was taking it all in, I guess,” Misner said.
He said it was the longest home run he’s hit in a game at Taylor Stadium — or anywhere else.
“They said it went up on the building,” Misner said. “Not bad.”
Misner was rather nonchalant about the leadoff solo shot in the seventh inning, but without reason. His homer was quickly followed by another blast by Peter Zimmermann, then three more Tigers runs in the inning. The five-run frame put Kentucky away for good and gave the Tigers a 9-2 victory and a Southeastern Conference series win.
With lefty TJ Sikkema locked in for seven innings on the mound, allowing just a pair of homers, it looked easy most of the game for Missouri (22-11-1, 5-6-1 SEC) on Sunday against Kentucky (17-15, 2-10).
“I was getting them to guess a lot,” Sikkema said. “I think I was mixing my pitches really well.”
He struck out 11 Wildcats and even fought through a line drive that scorched him on the shin in the fifth. Sikkema said he feels fine — perhaps especially since the ball ricocheted to shortstop Chris Cornelius, who got the out at first base.
Sikkema’s great start was even more impressive considering its beginning. Kentucky leadoff man Austin Schultz took the lefty’s second pitch of the game out to right field for a quick solo shot that put the Wildcats up 1-0. But the long ball didn’t have Missouri head coach Steve Bieser too worried.
“I’ve been involved in a lot of leadoff home runs in games, and they usually never come back and they never factor in,” Bieser said.
He was right Sunday, as Kentucky’s 1-0 lead was its only advantage of the day. It didn’t last three innings.
With two men aboard in the bottom of the third, Zimmermann ripped a ball toward third base, and it took a sharp deflection off Coltyn Kessler’s glove into left field. The play, ruled an error, scored both runners to put Missouri on top.
Ryan Shinn took Sikkema deep in the top of the fourth, but again, Missouri was quick to answer. Once again, it was Zimmermann up. Once again, Kessler got just a piece of a hot ground ball. Once again, two unearned runs scored.
Zimmermann said postgame that Kentucky “did some shady things” to him during the recruiting process last season while the St. Louis product was at San Jacinto College. So his home run to follow Misner’s in the seventh felt good, and Zimmermann turned and watched it skip off the back wall of the Missouri bullpen in left field.
“It felt real good,” Zimmermann said. “You watch them do their salute to our dugout after they hit home runs. Today, Schultz stomps on home plate after the first at-bat of the game. They’re going to do it, and we’re going to throw it right back at ‘em.”
Sikkema said he started the beef between these two teams in 2017, when he hit a Kentucky batter after Tristan Pompey took him deep for a pair of home runs. Friday, Kentucky’s Jaren Shelby punctuated his home run with a bat flip, but Sikkema chose not to exact revenge with another beanball.
He had a better way in mind.
“I thought it was a little bit bigger diss to just strike him out, keep getting him out,” Sikkema said.
He got Shelby to ground out in the first inning, walked him in the third and finally struck him out looking in the sixth.
“It was a big strikeout,” Sikkema said. “And I enjoy striking everybody out.”
Only two Kentucky starter avoided a strikeout Sunday as Sikkema kept the Wildcats to four hits. Ian Bedell handled the last two innings without allowing a run, sealing the Tigers’ series win.
For Misner, next weekend’s home series against No. 12 LSU will be a good chance for Missouri to keep up with the SEC’s best.
“The weather’s going to be a little different from this, I think. I looked at it. It's going to be a little chilly,” Misner said. “Our advantage. That’s kind of how we like to play it around here, I guess.
“I think we’ve got a good shot."
