COLUMBIA, Mo. – In front of a program-record crowd of 3,146 fans, Mizzou Baseball dropped the series finale against No. 10 Vanderbilt, 6-2, Saturday afternoon at Taylor Stadium. Mizzou junior starterMichael Plassmeyer, a lefty who has dominated during SEC play, got off to another good start on Saturday. However, Vanderbilt’s bats eventually found their groove and scored in four consecutive innings, including a three-spot in the sixth, to pull away from the Tigers.
After a pair of games in which Mizzou took down Vanderbilt with strong pitching and defense, the roles reversed on Saturday. Commodore starter Mason Hickman was dialed in all afternoon, lasting 7.0 innings and allowing only two unearned runs. Behind him, the Commodore defense made a handful of web gems that quieted the Mizzou offense. Trailing 6-0 in the bottom of the seventh, Mizzou pushed across its first runs on a two-run double by senior 2B Matt Berler.
Despite the loss that spoiled the potential series sweep, Mizzou won its first series ever against the Commodores and now sits at 8-10 in SEC play this season.
TURNING POINT
In his first start at Taylor Stadium since a five-hit complete game shutout, southpaw Michael Plassmeyer got off to a strong start on Saturday afternoon. Plassmeyer retired nine straight to start the ballgame and had three punch outs through three frame. However, Vanderbilt batters steadily found holes with base knocks as the Commodores tallied single runs in the fourth and fifth before breaking the game open with a two-run triple by 2B Ethan Paul. A sac fly a batter later gave Vanderbilt a 5-0 lead.
QUOTING MIZZOU
Head Coach Steve Bieser
“I’d say the biggest takeaway for us is that we came into a weekend series knowing that we needed to win the series, and we were able to do that. We played really clean baseball in the first two games and had some timely hitting. Today, it’s tough to beat a team like Vanderbilt three times. It’s a challenge. I knew that they were going to come out hungyry and I think they were just a little bit hungrier than we were.”
TOP TIGERS
- Senior 2B Matt Berler roped a pair of doubles, one which scored a pair in the bottom of the seventh to pull the Tigers within four. The two-baggers were Berler’s first since March 3 against UMBC and were Mizzou’s first extra-base hits of the weekend.
- Junior reliever Giovanni Lopez entered in the top of the eighth with the Commodores threatening. With a 6-2 lead, Vanderbilt had runners on second and third with one out when Lopez took the bump. The junior picked up a key strikeout and induced a 5-3 groundout to end the inning.
NOTES
- With a crowd of 3,146, Mizzou set a new program regular season attendance record
- After the loss, Mizzou is now 3-17 all-time against Vanderbilt
- 8-6 vs. ranked opponents
- The Tigers fall to 8-6 on Saturdays this season
- Mizzou’s loss at Taylor Stadium was just its fourth of the season. The Tigers are now 18-4 at home
- While they were unable to execute the series sweep, Mizzou stands at 16-11 in three game series this season
- Mizzou is now 7-5 this April. The Tigers were 6-13 last April
- Mizzou falls to 2-8 in games when opponents score first
- The Tigers are now 6-8 in day games this season
UP NEXT
Mizzou will close its five-game homestand Tuesday against in-state foe Missouri State.
— Mizzou Athletics —