COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball (20-14, 4-8) took the lead early and was able to hold on to earn a 4-3 victory over Auburn (15-17, 3-9) on Saturday (April 9) to take the series, Mizzou’s second consecutive SEC series win.

Freshman LHP Michael Plassmeyer (St. Louis, Mo.) earned the win with the strongest start of his career, allowing no runs on only three hits through 5.2 innings. He tied his career-high with five strikeouts while only walking one batter.  Freshman Brian Sharp (Liberty, Mo) came into the game in the ninth inning to earn his team-leading fifth save of the season to strand a pair, striking out both batters he faced.

Junior CF Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill) went 2-4 at the plate and scored a run to continue an impressive six-game stretch in which he has scored and reached base in each game. Sophomore catcher Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) hit his fourth home run of the season in the second inning, giving him two RBI in the game.

Ring stole his SEC-leading 20th base of the season in the first inning, which set him up to score on a single from senior 1B Zach Lavy (Auxvasse, Mo.) to give the Tigers the lead.  The two-run shot from Bond in the second inning extended the lead to 3-0.  After Mizzou conceded runs in the seventh and eighth innings, sophomore LF Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) drove in his 26th run of the season on a single past the first baseman in the bottom of the eighth to bring the score to 4-2.

Auburn managed to score another run with one out in the ninth inning, leading Sharp to come into the game with Mizzou’s lead at 4-3.  He struck out both batters he faced to secure the victory, bring his ERA down to a team-best 1.56 on the season.

Mizzou will visit Missouri State on Tuesday (April 12) for a game at 6:35 p.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —