COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 25 Mizzou Baseball dropped the second game of a three-game series, 3-1, against Mississippi State in 15 innings Saturday evening at Taylor Stadium. It was Mizzou’s first defeat in the last 16 outings at home. Mizzou tallied 10 hits on the day in a 15-inning battle, but could not come up with timely hits when it needed them, stranding 16 runners in the loss. Mizzou fell to 18-6 (2-3 SEC) on the year while Mississippi State improved to 13-11 (1-4).
Mizzou junior LHP Michael Plassmeyer (St. Louis, Mo.) got the start for the Tigers. Plassmeyer pitched eight strong innings and fanned eight batters, his most strikeouts in an SEC game. Junior LHP Tyler LaPlante(Torrance, Calif.) was tagged with the loss, after allowing two runs in the top of the 15th inning.
Mizzou junior OF Conner Brumfield (Columbia, Mo.) robbed a home run early in the third running to save what would have been a two-run home run and keep the game scoreless. Mizzou broke through offensively in the bottom of the seventh inning. A lead-off double by senior INF Alex Samples (Bridgeport, Texas) followed by a base hit by junior OF Conner Brumfield (Columbia, Mo.) put two men on for junior INF Paul Gomez (Orange, Calif.). Gomez stepped to the plate and hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Samples and give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
Mississippi State knotted the game in the top of the ninth and surged in front in the 15th, preventing any Mizzou runs in extra innings.
TURNING POINT
LaPlante took the mound in the 15th inning for the Tigers. Mississippi State junior OF Jake Mangum led off with a double through the left side to start the inning Bulldogs. Another base knock gave Mississippi State another baserunner with no outs. With runners in scoring position, junior INF Hunter Stovall rocketed a two-out single off Mizzou relief pitcher Konnor Ash and the ball skipped to the outfield, allowing the Bulldogs to plate two runs and take the lead 3-1.
TOP TIGERS
– Junior LHP Michael Plassmeyer was brilliant in his second SEC start, going 8.1 innings, allowing just five hits with two walks and eight strikeouts. He gave up his only run on a one-out single in the ninth on his 115th pitch of the game. The innings pitched and strikeouts are his best ever in an SEC game.
– Plassmeyer now has a 51-6 strikeout-walk ratio this season.
– Freshman DH Mark Vierling tallied his sixth multi-hit games.
– Junior LF Connor Brumfield went 1-for-3 as his bunt single in the seventh inning allowed Mizzou to take a 1-0 lead, setting up the sacrifice fly by Paul Gomez. Brumfield also made a game-changing catch, robbing what would have been a go-ahead two-run homer in the third inning, leaping over the wall and bringing it back for the out.
– Senior 3B Alex Samples scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning after leading off the frame with his fourth double of the year in just 38 at-bats. Samples turned in his second career three-hit game this season, both of which have been this week.
UP NEXT
Mizzou and Mississippi State will play again Sunday at 1 p.m.
— Mizzou Athletics —