Mizzou Baseball drops home opener to SEMO, 8-3

Kerrick Jackson’s homecoming at Taylor Stadium didn’t go how he’d hoped.

Mizzou Baseball’s new head coach made his first appearance in the Tigers’ dugout since he was an assistant with the program from 2011-2015. He’d led the black and gold to a winning record during a two-week, seven-game road trip in California to start the year. Tuesday night’s game against Southeast Missouri was MU’s first chance to show off its new-look roster, featuring several newcomers brought in by Jackson, in front of a home crowd.

But growing pains got the better of Missouri, as the team dropped its inclement weather-shortened home opener to SEMO in eight innings, 8-3.

“Most of the guys that we have out there are inexperienced,” Jackson said. “And so they're coming in and they're trying to produce and we're constantly talking to them about the idea of, 'You're not in a position where you can worry about production. We need you to worry about being consistent and having the right approach and having the right plan and having the right mindset.' But that is going to be what our year is about. We're going to be teaching them constantly, all year long, about how to go about their business at this level.”

Jackson’s chose to have a bullpen night on the mound, scheduling several relievers who hadn’t played much yet this season to make one-inning appearances to feel things out a little further. The plan backfired, though, with wind speeds of 19 mph carrying hits farther than they’d typically go.

The trouble started early for Missouri (4-4). Sophomore starting pitcher Daniel Wissler struck out the side in the first inning, but surrendered a solo home run to the Redhawks (3-6) in the top of the second for the first score of the game. Jackson was impressed, however, that Wissler settled back in and got out of the inning without allowing another run.

“Because of all the injuries they had last year, he was able to get a lot of experiences as a true freshman,” Jackson said. “I mean, that's the sign of a guy that's had some experience, right? You get a younger guy who gives up a home run, well then, all of a sudden, he starts spraying stuff all over the place. (Wissler) gives up a home run and then just goes back to shoving it in there and getting out of the inning. And so yeah, I think that he's one that we think has the capability to be a starter and so we're going to continue to roll him out and give him those opportunities to grow and develop in that role.”

Oregon State transfer right-hander Victor Quinn faced five batters in the top of the third. He walked the first, hit the next two with pitches, forced a groundout into a double play that allowed the visitors’ lead runner to score, then hit another batter with a pitcher before being replaced on the mound by freshman RHP Charlie Miller, who retired the side. Mizzou was kept scoreless in the bottom of both the third and fourth.

Vanderbilt transfer righty Miles Garrett took over on the mound in the top of the fifth and walked the first four batters he saw. He was relieved by sophomore southpaw Nic Smith, who hit the first batter he saw, then surrendered a grand slam to SEMO junior first baseman Bryce Cannon, extending the Redhawks’ lead to 8-0. By the end of the inning, the visitors scored six runs on just two hits.

“For (Garrett), I just think it's the fact that he hasn't pitched in two and a half years, right?” Jackson said. “Because of injuries and that whole deal. So I think he got up on the mound and he was just excited to get out there and we got more effort in execution. And that's what I told him. Like, 'I appreciate what you were doing. But yeah, hey, you can throw 92, 93 miles per hour, that's great. But I need you to throw strikes, I need you to be competitive.' But adrenaline got the best of him.”

Mizzou finally broke through in the next frame. Junior left fielder Isaiah Frost led off with a walk. Junior catcher Jedier Hernandez singled through the right side in the next at-bat, prompting SEMO to make a pitching change. The two runners advanced on a wild pitch during the next plate appearance and sophomore designated hitter Brock Daniels brought Frost across on a groundout to second base. Senior second baseman Trevor Austin reached on an error two at-bats later allowing Hernandez to cross home.

The Tigers’ pitching staff kept the visitors off the scoreboard across the next three innings. Redshirt freshman right fielder Tucker Moore provided more momentum in the bottom of the seventh, homering to right field to trim the deficit to 8-3.

“He's one of our more athletic kids. He's made more adjustments than anybody that we have and his stock is on the rise. And Tucker Moore is gonna be a really, really good player and one that people are going to say, 'Where did this kid come from?' And just the things that we've seen him do — again, he's a catcher. And we put him in the outfield and he hasn't missed a beat. So yeah, that's why I've got him in the top lineup, to give him the opportunity to have more at-bats because the more at-bats he has, the more comfortable he's going to be. He makes adjustments in at-bats, he makes adjustment from at-bat to at-bat. So that's that's definitely the kind of guy that you want to have in the lineup on a regular basis.”

Still, Jackson thought his batters started pressing a bit after falling behind by eight, with most wanting to take big shots rather than sticking to their approach. The hosts might’ve been able to complete the rally given more time, but the game was paused due to a weather delay one pitch into the bottom of the eighth inning and later called off completely, resulting in the loss for Missouri.

Wissler received the loss in 2.0 innings of work, falling to 1-1 on the year. Moore and freshman centerfielder Kaden Peer tied for a team-high two hits each.

The team is set to host Northern Kentucky for a three-game series this weekend at Taylor Stadium, the opener taking place Friday at 6 p.m. Jackson said his goal is for his young squad to show they can be competitive.

“The biggest thing that you have happen when kids go from high school to college or junior college to a four-year (university) is they don't know how to slow the game down. And they think everything goes faster, which it does, but in order to keep that at bay, we have to play the game and be fundamentally sound,” Jackson said. “And so, we'll try and throw the ball before we catch it, right? We'll try and hit a three-run homer with nobody on base. You know, just little things where they try to be the hero and we're not asking them to do that. And so again, we have a talented group, but they're just an inexperienced group. And so we just gotta coach them and teach them through that.”