The Tigers looked like they were set up to end the season with a roar after sweeping the preseason No. 1 Texas A&M Aggies on the road.
But they returned home and ended with a whimper, giving up 50 runs across three games that went a total of 23 innings, culminating in a 12-1 loss to Mississippi State on Saturday.
If you missed Game 1, you can read my game story here, or if you missed Game 2, you can read that game story here.
The Tigers fell behind early, giving up six runs in the first inning and two in the second on the way to an 8-0 deficit.
“For the third day in a row, (we were) chasing crooked numbers after the first or second inning,” Missouri coach Kerrick Jackson said. “Our guys didn’t compete the way that we needed to at the plate. When things are happening that early in the game, all you got to do is just kind of keep chipping away and keep chipping away and we weren’t, unfortunately.”
The Tigers scored a run in the bottom of the second Mateo Serna bunted for a single and both Keegan Knutson and Jedier Hernandez were hit by pitches to load the bases for Brock Daniels, who flew out for a sacrifice fly.
Mississippi State added a run in the fourth and three in the sixth.
“I think you saw the result of, unfortunately, us having to ride some guys all throughout the year,” Jackson said. “... I think as you saw guys come in, you just saw guys that have worn it a little bit and then you also saw some guys that got in to pitch that we haven’t used in a long time and that’s because we were pitching it well and we didn’t need to use them and they weren’t guys that we want to use in leverage situations.”
Missouri had only four hits with two from Jackson Lovich and one each from Serna and Hernandez.
Josh McDevitt started on the mound but got only two outs, while allowing six runs on six hits and a hit batter. He struck out one.
Xavier Lovett came on for the next 3.1 innings, allowing three runs on four hits and two hit batters, while striking out two.
Victor Christal pitched a scoreless fifth, walking one and striking out one.
Josh Kirchhoff pitched the sixth, allowing three runs on one hit, two walks and a hit batter, while striking out one.
Seth McCartney got the first two outs of the seventh, walking one, then James Vaughn came on to get the final out of the regular season with a strikeout.
Up next
Now the Tigers move on to planning for the SEC Tournament where No. 16 seed Missouri will face No. 9 Alabama at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
The Tigers didn’t throw Wil Libbert or Sam Horn during the weekend series with the specific plan for them to pitch during the SEC Tournament.
“If you use them this weekend, you can’t use them in the tournament unless we get past Tuesday,” Jackson said of the pair who are still returning from long-term injuries. “If you don’t use them this weekend, you have a chance to use them in the tournament on Tuesday. So it was a decision that I made with regards to their health and safety. And then at the same time, putting us in a situation where we can go there and be competitive.”
The winner of that matchup will move on to face No. 8 Tennessee at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, while the winner of that game will face No. 1 Texas at 3 p.m. Thursday.
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