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Tigers pound Lindenwood in home opener

Missouri brought the heat back from its series in Florida to the home opener against Lindenwood on Tuesday afternoon. The Tigers used a seven-run second inning to jumpstart a 17-2 victory. Missouri (6-2) relied on a focused approach at the plate to wear down the Lindenwood pitching staff, going deep into counts and driving the ball to the opposite field with regularity.

Of the Tigers six hits in the first three innings, four went to the opposite field, including a double down the left field line from Ross Lovich and a towering three-run home run into the Missouri bullpen by Luke Mann in the second inning. That inning that set the tone for the remainder of the game.

“That was our game plan today,” head coach Steve Bieser said. “We weren’t chasing outside the zone and when they were nibbling at the edges we had the ability to prevent the strikeouts.”

Missouri finished with 11 hits as well as 13 total walks and five hit by pitches, a product of patient approach at the plate as well as a lack of reliable pitching on Lindenwood’s part. The Tigers saw an average of 4.06 pitches per batter and forced Lions pitchers to throw 199 in all, 105 of which were balls.

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Luke Mann homered as part of a big day for the Mizzou offense
Luke Mann homered as part of a big day for the Mizzou offense (Megan Fox)

Though they didn’t have much say in the matter, the Lions needed six pitchers to trudge through six innings. Sophomore Matt James earned the loss, throwing a scoreless first inning before being pulled with no outs and seven runs in the second.

The only gaffe on the Tigers’ part came from a lack of execution with runners on base. Despite scoring 17 runs, Missouri left 14 runners on base and was 1-6 in at-bats with the bases loaded. The Tigers were 4-13 with runners in scoring position overall, for some reason doing better without a runner on first than with one.

Bieser decided on a committee approach with his pitching staff, using four pitchers across seven innings of work. In his first ever college appearance, freshman Nic Smith earned the victory with three stellar innings, throwing just 33 pitches. Smith allowed no runs on one hit and one walk, including five straight ground ball outs to open the game.

“I thought him getting three innings was really special given the circumstances,” Bieser said.

The plan for the game was to give as many opportunities to the freshmen as possible, so Smith’s three innings were planned from the start. Brock Lucas, Daniel Wissler and Jacob Hasty were all important arms that Bieser wanted to give appearances to against Lindenwood.

“I was pleased how the whole group locked in and played the game all the way through,” Bieser said.

Overall, the Tiger’s pitching staff allowed two runs on five hits and two walks in seven innings.

Missouri thrived up and down the lineup, but the corner infielders Mann and Hank Zeisler were the keystone pieces to the offensive outburst. Mann finished 1-2 with 3 RBI and three runs scored, while Zeisler connected for a hit, drove in two runs, drew two walks and was hit by a pitch.

SAM HORN INJURY UPDATE

After an update from Missouri football head coach Eli Drinkwitz, Bieser restated the previously known information that pitcher Sam Horn strained his forearm during Saturday’s road game against Florida International. The current timetable for his return is uncertain, but Bieser laid out a recovery time ranging from four to six weeks until Horn could return to the mound for the Tigers.

Bieser also added that he thought Horn could make a sizable contribution to the pitching staff as either a shut-down reliever out of the pen or as a starting pitcher.

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