AUBURN, Ala. – No. 22 Mizzou Baseball scored the go-ahead run on a dropped fly ball in the top of the seventh inning as it upended No. 16 Auburn, 2-1, Saturday night (March 31) at Plainsman Park. Senior RHP Andy Toelken (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) pitched the final 4.0 innings to earn his first win, holding Auburn off the scoreboard as Mizzou rallied for the win. Mizzou improves to 20-7 and 4-4 in SEC play while evening the series with Auburn, setting up a 2 p.m. rubber game on Easter Sunday.
Toelken and starter Michael Plassmeyer (St. Louis, Mo.) were tremendous in Mizzou’s road win over the nation’s No. 5 RPI team. Plassmeyer pitched 5.0 innings, scattering just six hits with seven strikeouts while surrendering just one run. Toelken came in with game tied 1-1 and pitched in 4.0 high-pressure innings, striking out three while allowing just one hit.
Senior OF Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) hit the ball to left in the seventh inning that was dropped by LF Conor Davis, allowing the winning run to score from second base.
TURNING POINT
After Mizzou tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fifth inning on a Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) RBI double, the visiting Tigers grabbed the lead in the top of the seventh inning. Harris roped a pitch into left field and Auburn LF Conor Davis drifted under it in the gap and appeared to grab it for the third out. But the ball popped out of his glove allowing Alex Samples (Bridgeport, Texas) to score from second, giving Mizzou a 2-1 lead.
QUOTING MIZZOU
Head Coach Steve Bieser:
“Well it was a pitcher’s duel tonight. Our guys threw the ball outstanding. It was tough on both sides to muster any kind of offense tonight. All I told our guys is that we have to know what type of game we are playing and settle in and win that type of game. I thought they were able to do that tonight.”
TOP TIGERS
- Senior OF Trey Harris hit an RBI double on a 0-2 pitch in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game at 1-1. It extended his hitting streak to five games and he has now reached base in 19 straight games. That is the longest streak by a Tiger this season and it is the longest streak of his career. Harris singled in the ninth to give him his 10th multiple hit game of the season.
- Junior LHP Michael Plassmeyer was great in his seventh start of the season, going 5.0 innings while allowing one run on six hits with seven strikeouts in a no-decision.
- Senior 3B Alex Samples turned in his fifth multi-hit game of the season and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning.
- Senior RHP Andy Toelken earned his fourth win of the season after tossing the final 4.0 innings, allowing just one hit while striking out three.
NOTES
- Mizzou now leads the all-time series with Auburn, 11-5.
- Mizzou improves to 7-2 on Saturdays this season.
- Mizzou is 12-5 in three-game series this season.
- Mizzou is now 5-4 on the road this season and 7-6 away from home
- Mizzou improves to 15-2 in night games this season.
- Mizzou is now 3-0 in one-run games this season.
- Junior lefty Michael Plassmeyer struck out seven batters in his seventh start of the season. He now has 58 on the year, resetting his single season career high of 54, set a season ago.
UP NEXT
Mizzou and Auburn will play an Easter Sunday game tomorrow at 2 p.m.
— Mizzou Athletics —