GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Mizzou Baseball lost its series finale against No. 1 Florida, 7-2, Saturday night in game two of a doubleheader at McKethan Stadium. Mizzou falls to 24-12 on the year and 6-9 in SEC play while Florida improves to 32-6 and 12-3 in SEC play. Mizzou grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the third, but Florida scored lone runs in the fourth and fifth innings before exploding for five in the eighth to earn the win.
Junior LHP Michael Plassmeyer took his first loss of the season, going 5.1 innings while allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out six. The go-ahead run was an unearned run in the fourth inning following an error that turned a double from Florida CF Nick Horvath into a triple. He scored on a sacrifice fly to give the Gators the lead.
Gator RHP Tyler Dyson earned the win, improving to 5-2 on the year. He allowed one run on four hits over 5.0 innings.
TURNING POINT
Mizzou ran out to a 1-0 lead in the nightcap, getting an RBI sacrifice fly by Zach Hanna in the top of the third inning, but the Gators, as they did all weekend, immediately answered in their half of the inning. JJ Schwarz ripped an RBI double just inside the left field line, past an out-stretched 3B Alex Samples. That evened the game and Florida then grabbed a 2-1 lead in the in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by 1B Brady Smith.
Florida then scored five runs in the ninth to put the game away before Hanna hit his third homer of the season in the top of the ninth inning.
QUOTING MIZZOU
Head Coach Steve Bieser
“We just got it handed to us. That’s about all I can say. They dominated us. That’s the game, you have to play nine innings. We competed well for seven innings in the first game and almost eight innings in the second game. We just didn’t finish it out. That’s the game of baseball; you have to play all nine innings and you have to play them all well. We just have to regroup and turn this thing around.”
TOP TIGERS
– Junior OF Zach Hanna tallied a SAC fly in the third inning, his third RBI of the series and sixth of the week. He also walked in the game. Hanna homered in the ninth inning for his second of the week and third of the season as well.
– Hanna hit 5-for-12 (.417) with four runs, seven RBI, two homers and two doubles over the four games.
– Junior 1B Brian Sharp drew a pair of walks Saturday, his second game this season with multiple walks.
– Junior LHP Michael Plassmeyer went 5.1 innings and allowed just two runs (one earned) on six hits with six strikeouts in a tough-luck loss, his first of the season.
– Sophomore Kameron Misner turned in his team-leading 15th multi-hit game of the season in the nightcap.
UP NEXT
Mizzou will be back in action Tuesday at home against Chicago State. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. for that game.
— Mizzou Athletics —