GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Mizzou Baseball lost game one of its Saturday doubleheader at No. 1 Florida, 10-2, at McKethan Stadium. Mizzou tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the sixth before Florida broke out for one run in the bottom of the sixth and six more in the seventh to put the game away. Mizzou falls to 24-11 and 6-8 in SEC play while the top-ranked Gators go to 31-6 and 11-3 in league games.
Junior LHP Tyler LaPlante took a tough-luck loss, falling to 4-2 on the season. He went 6.0 innings and allowed just three runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Florida starter Jackson Kowar earned the win, his sixth of the season.
Mizzou and Florida will play game two later this evening with junior LHP and reigning SEC Pitcher of the Week Michael Plassmeyer on the bump for the Tigers.
TURNING POINT
After Florida took a 2-0 lead with a two-out rally in the bottom of the first, it took Mizzou until the top of the sixth inning to solve Florida starter Jackson Kowar. Mizzou used a two-out rally of its own, culminating with a two-run double by junior OF Zach Hanna in the top of the sixth inning.
But as quickly as Mizzou tied the game, Florida regained the lead in the bottom of the frame, coming on a two-out solo HR by JJ Schwarz staking the Gators to a 3-2 lead. Florida then broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh inning, scoring six times to put the game away. The first eight men the Gators sent to the plate in the seventh inning reached base safely.
TOP TIGERS
– Junior OF Zach Hanna hit a pair of doubles and drove in a pair runs. Over his last 11 games, he is hitting 8-for-22 with four runs, two doubles, a homer and eight RBI.
– Junior LHP Tyler LaPlante made a spot start, his second of the week and first in SEC play this season. He went 6.0 innings, scattering five hits while surrendering three runs with three strikeouts.
NOTES
- Mizzou now trails the all-time series with Florida, 4-19.
- Mizzou falls to 8-4 on Saturdays.
- Mizzou suffered its third loss in a doubleheader this season and is now 4-3 in such games this season.
- Mizzou falls to 14-8 in three-game series this year.
- Mizzou falls to 6-5 vs. ranked opponents and 5-5 on the road vs. ranked teams.
- Mizzou 7-6 on road and 9-8 in games away from home.