COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri State scored two runs on an error in the eighth inning to escape Taylor Stadium with a 5-3 win over Mizzou Baseball Tuesday night (April 18). Junior RHP Andy Toelken (Green Cove Springs, Fla.) turned in an impressive start, going 7.1 innings while allowing just three earned runs while striking out six in a tough-luck loss as a two-out, eight-inning error allowed the Bears to escape with a win. Mizzou falls to 26-12 on the year while Missouri State moves to 24-13.
Mizzou got multi-hit games from five different players and sophomore OF Connor Brumfield (Columbia, Mo.) reached base safely for the 23rd consecutive game, the longest streak by a Tiger this season. But Mizzou struggled with runners in scoring position, stranding nine men on the night while going just 2-for-10 as a team with runners in scoring position.
Mizzou took an early 1-0 lead on a Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) sacrifice fly in the first inning. MSU answered thanks to a walk and back-to-back hits in the second. All-American 3B Jake Bruger then launched a go-ahead, two-run homer to left field in the third inning to give MSU a 3-1 lead.
Mizzou got those runs back on RBI singles from Nelson Mompierre (Miami, Fla.) and Robbie Glendinning (Scarborough, Australia) in the bottom half of the third inning. Both pitchers seemed to settle in from there. Mizzou had a chance to take the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, putting runners on second and third with two outs, but Brian Sharp (Liberty, Mo.) rolled out to second base to strand a pair.
Mompierre tallied a two-out single through the right side in the seventh inning. Pinch runner Johnny Balsamo (Kansas City, Mo.) stole second base to put the go-ahead run in scoring position, but Glendinning struck out swinging to strand the runner.
Missouri State loaded the bases in the eighth inning with one out after an intentional walk and a hit batter followed a leadoff single. Mizzou brought in sophomore LHP Ty Shoaff (Akron, Ohio) to try to get out of the jam. He struck out the first batter he faced and looked to get out of the jam on a slow roller to first, but a throwing error allowed two runs to score, giving MSU a 5-3 lead.
Mizzou then put two men on in the eighth with one out, but Chris Cornelius (St. Louis, Mo.) hit into a 6-4-3 double play as the Bears escaped the jam. In the ninth, Missouri State brought in closer Bryan Young, who picked up his fourth save against the top of the Mizzou order, retiring the side in order.
Mizzou will hit the road this weekend for a three-game series vs. Ole Miss.
— Mizzou Athletics —