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Missouri wins season opening series

The most runs since 2010, the most doubles since 2007 and the most hits since 2008 was how Head Coach Steve Bieser earned his first career victory in a Mizzou uniform. The Missouri (3-1) offense erupted for 27 runs in its 27-9 victory over Eastern Michigan (1-3) in game one of Saturday’s doubleheader at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, Florida.

The four hour and four minute ballgame featured 12 Mizzou players tallying hits. Of the 12, eight had multiple hit performances and seven recorded multiple RBIs. Brett Bond (4-5, five runs, RBI) had himself a career day reaching base six out of the seven times he stepped into the batters box. Bond became the first Tiger ever to score five times in one game. JUCO transfer, Nelson Mompierre (2-4, run, five RBIs) drove in a game-high five RBIs which commenced in the first inning with a bases loaded walk.

Michael Plassmeyer (1-0) got the start and win for the Tigers. Despite allowing three runs in the top of the first inning, Plassmeyer settled in and worked five innings allowing six hits and four runs, two of them earned. Eastern Michigan’s starting pitcher Davis Feldman (0-1) lasted just a third of an inning as Mizzou answered right back in the bottom half of the first scoring five runs, two of those runs off the bat of Brian Sharp (2-4, two runs, two RBIs).

After a quiet second inning for both teams, Missouri put up a crooked number in the third inning courtesy of a Connor Brumfield (2-2, three runs, three RBIs) two-run single extending Mizzou’s lead to 8-4. Freshman outfielder Kameron Misner (2-4, two runs, two RBIs) hit his first career home run in the bottom of the fifth extending the Tigers lead to 15-4 after a six run fourth inning. Misner’s home run, a solo shot was just one of eight runs scored in the bottom of the fifth. Mizzou slugged 10 extra-base hits, including seven doubles. Trey Harris (2-3, two runs, four RBIs) had two of those seven doubles. Missouri tallied 22 total hits.

Bryce Montes De Oca, Evan Stoll and Luke Boyster made relief appearances for the Tigers. For Stoll and Boyster, it was their first career outing in a Tigers jersey.

Game two of Saturday’s doubleheader was a nail biter as Mizzou overcame a 5-4 deficit in the bottom of the ninth and prevailed 6-5 thanks to a throwing error by Sam Delaplane (0-1) and sacrifice fly by Sharp (1-4, run, RBI)

Robbie Glendinning (1-2, run) started the threat with a leadoff walk in the bottom of the ninth. Brumfield (1-2, run) followed with a well-executed sacrifice bunt, which was misplayed by the pitcher and resulted in the ball being overthrown causing Glendinning to score the game-tying run and Brumfield advancing to third. Misner (2-4, run, RBI), Alex Samples (1-4, RBI), Bond (1-2, run, RBI) and Mompierre (1-4, RBI) all had RBIs for the Tigers.

Eastern Michigan got to Mizzou starter Andy Toelken early chasing him for four runs in just three innings of work. Fortunately for the Tigers, freshman TJ Sikkema stymied the Eagles offense throwing five and one third innings of four hit baseball, allowing just one run and striking out eight in his Mizzou debut. Cole Bartlett (1-0) got the win for the Tigers.

The series finale resulted in a 7-2 victory for the Tigers. Mizzou played an error free ball game despite making 11 errors in the first three. Liam Carter (1-0) earned his first career win in his first career start going five innings allowing just two runs on four hits while striking out three.

The Missouri offense remained hot recording 14 hits. Leadoff man Connor Brumfield (2-4, two runs, RBI) got things started for the Tigers doubling and scoring in each of his first two at-bats. A late home run on a 3-2 pitch in the bottom of the eighth by red-hot hitting Brett Bond (3-5, two runs, RBI) gave the Tigers a 6-2 lead, which was followed by a RBI single from Matt Berler (2-3, RBI).

Ty Shoaff, Nolan Gromacki and Cameron Dulle combined for four scoreless innings in relief. The Tigers are playing at the Kleberg Bank Classic in Corpus Christi, Texas next Thursday-Sunday. Mizzou will matchup against Texas A&M Corpus Christi, University of Houston and University of Illinois. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday night.

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