SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Mizzou freshman DH Chad McDaniel hit a go-ahead double in the top of the seventh inning as No. 24 Mizzou Baseball downed in-state foe No. 19 Missouri State, 8-6, Tuesday evening at Hammons Field. Mizzou ran out to a 5-1 lead before Missouri State rallied to go on top, 6-5, after six innings. Mizzou then scored three runs in the seventh, highlighted by McDaniel’s double, as it took the lead for good. Mizzou scored six of its eight runs with two outs, including all three in the seventh.
Mizzou improves to 24-9 on the year and snaps a four-game skid against the Bears in Springfield. Missouri State falls to 22-8. Reliever RHP Jordan Gubelman earned his first career win after tossing the final 3.1 innings as Mizzou regained the lead in the latter innings. He retired the first nine batters he faced before a two-out walk in the ninth. He struck out four and did not allow a hit. Jake Fromson took the loss, falling to 2-1 on the year. The win was the first for Mizzou this season when trailing after 6.0 innings. The Tigers were previously 0-8 in such contests.
McDaniel’s hit was certainly the turning point Tuesday, but the play of junior OF Zach Hanna was a huge part of the win. He went 2-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, a homer, was hit by a pitch to start the seventh-inning rally, and laid down a sacrifice bunt. He also made a game-saving catch in left, crashing into the wall to rob a pair of runs in the fifth inning.
TURNING POINT
Mizzou squandered a 5-1 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning as Missouri State grabbed a 6-5 lead moving to the seventh inning. The first two Mizzou batters in the top of the seventh were retired, but a two-out hit-by-pitch by Hanna extended the inning. Alex Samples then singled to bring up McDaniel, who blooped an RBI double into left field for his second hit of the game. Missouri State LF Jordan Fitzpatrick let that ball get through his legs, allowing Samples to score the go-ahead run, putting Mizzou back on top, 7-6.
Freshman Cade Bormet kept the line moving with an RBI, pinch-hit double to extend the lead to 8-6. Gubelman then came out and retired Missouri State in order in the bottom of the frame as Mizzou grabbed momentum. He was lights out from there, holding the home Bears off the board for the final 3.1 innings, not allowing a hit.
QUOTING MIZZOU
Head Coach Steve Bieser
“Well it was a hard fought game. I like the way the team responded. We had some issues there in the middle innings, but we got off to a good start and we were able to finish the game. I’ve never questioned our club. They never quit – I’ve never seen that out of them ever. It was frustrating there in the middle parts when we weren’t scoring and the other team was scoring. They came back and we gave up the lead, but that is what good clubs do. They just keep going and they know if they keep doing the right things, good things will happen.”
TOP TIGERS
– Junior OF Zach Hanna had three RBI in his first two at-bats, roping a two-run single in the first and a solo homer in the third inning. He finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored. He has six RBI over his last five games and now has five multi-hit games on the season. His homer was his first since opening day at Florida International. He also made a catch in left, crashing into the wall to likely save two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
– Junior lefty Tyler LaPlante made his fifth start of the season and went 3.0 innings, allowing just one run on two hits with four strikeouts.
– Freshman DH Chad McDaniel tallied his fifth multi-hit game of the season and had the game-winning double in the seventh inning.
– Senior C Brett Bond posted his 12th multi-hit game of the season Tuesday.
– Junior RHP Jordan Gubelman earned his first Division I win after throwing 2.1 shutout innings, striking out three.
NOTES
- Mizzou cuts Missouri State’s lead in the all-time series to 29-27. The two teams will meet again two weeks from Tuesday at Taylor Stadium.
- Mizzou improves to 18-3 in non-conference action.
- The Tigers are now 7-4 in true road games this season, with five of the seven wins coming against top-25 teams.
- Mizzou is 6-3 in games played vs. ranked teams this season.
- Mizzou is now 26-16 in games played away from home under second-year head coach Steve Bieser.
- Mizzou snapped a four-game losing streak to Missouri State in games played in Springfield. The eight runs scored by Mizzou are its most at Hammons Field since 2015 (also scored eight).
- Mizzou scored six of its eight runs Tuesday with two outs, including both the three-run first and the three-run seventh.
- Sophomore CF Kameron Misner hit in the leadoff spot for the first time this season Tuesday.
- Senior 3B Alex Samples hit his first double since March 24 vs. Mississippi State in the top of the first inning. Samples turned in a multi-hit game, his seventh of the season.
- OF Zach Hanna has six RBI in his last five games after his two-run single in the first inning and his first homer since opening day in the third inning.
- The three runs scored by Mizzou in the first inning are one more than Mizzou had in its last two games in Springfield combined.
- Mizzou played its 20th errorless game of the season as it continues to rank in the top-10 nationally in fielding. Mizzou had just 16 errorless games all of last season.
- Mizzou won for the first time this season when trailing after 6.0 innings. The Tigers were previously 0-8 in such games.
UP NEXT
Mizzou will be back in action Friday, opening a three-game series at No. 1 Florida. First pitch is slated for 5:30 p.m.
— Mizzou Athletics —
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Keandre Cook scored 20 points, Jarred Dixon added 18 and Missouri State defeated Stetson 83-70 on Sunday.
KANSAS CITY, MO – The National Association of Basketball Coaches announced today the matchups for the championship round of the 2018 National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame Classic Powered by ShotTracker. All four games of the Hall of Fame Classic Powered by ShotTracker at Sprint Center in Kansas City, MO., will be aired live on ESPN networks.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (March 6, 2018) – The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced that Nebraska will join Texas Tech, USC and Missouri State in the championship rounds of the 2018 Hall of Fame Classic Nov. 19-20 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City.