COLUMBIA, Mo. – On a beautiful Tuesday evening at Taylor Stadium, Mizzou Baseball handled Chicago State in a 5-3 victory. The Mizzou victory was the 15^th straight win against non-conference opponents at Taylor Stadium. Senior RF Trey Harris cranked his sixth home run of the season, a two-run blast over the left field fence in the bottom of the third that sparked Mizzou’s offense. The Tigers plated a pair in the fourth and a lone run in the fifth, building a 5-2 advantage after five innings.

The Mizzou bullpen backed up junior RHP Brian Sharp who worked 4.0 innings of two-run ball. Seven Tiger hurlers combined to toss 5.0 innings while allowing only three hits and one run. Mizzou’s collective effort out of the pen held off Chicago State

TURNING POINT

With the game knotted at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth, Mizzou took advantage of a two-out Cougar error and scratched across a pair of runs. 3B Alex Samples dribbled a ball to the right side and Chicago State 2B Daulton Ryans botched his throw to first, allowing the Mizzou inning to continue. Following the error, Harris and LF Zach Hanna drew back-to-back bases loaded walks, giving Mizzou a 4-2 lead.

QUOTING MIZZOU

Head Coach Steve Bieser

“It is simple, we just have to be better. We were not very good offensively today. We were fortunate that we were able to draw some walks and we took advantage of an error – we scored a couple runs there with one hit. There are two innings where we scored two runs with just one hit. We just have to be better offensively.”

TOP TIGERS

• Trey Harris led the way offensively for Mizzou, ripping a two-run shot and also smacking a first inning single. Harris now has 13 multi-hit games this season and eight multi-RBI performances. The right fielder also made a web gem on a slick sliding play in the sixth inning.
• Junior LF Zach Hanna reached base four times, twice with a single while also drawing a walk and reaching on a hit by pitch. Hanna is now 7-for-his-last-15 and has seven multi-hit games this season. Hanna also swiped a bag, his fourth of the year.
• Senior RP Andy Toelken capped the ballgame with a four-out save, his second save of the season. Toelken held the Cougars hitless and picked up a strikeout. He has now allowed only 13 runs over 38 innings of work this season.

NOTES

• Mizzou is now 6-0 vs. Chicago State all-time.
• Mizzou is now 27-2 against non-conference opponents at home under head coach Steve Bieser.
• Mizzou has extended their non-conference home win streak to 16 games.
• Mizzou has improved its record to 17-5 when they hold their opponents to three or fewer runs.
• All nine of Mizzou’s starters made it safely on base during the game.
• Senior OF Trey Harris hit his team-leading sixth home run in the third inning, a two-run shot.
• Harris also recorded his eighth multi-RBI game of the season, the most on the team.
• Junior OF Zach Hanna recorded two hits in the game, his seventh multi-hit game of the season.

UP NEXT

Mizzou hosts Vanderbilt in a three-game, Thursday-Saturday series this weekend at Taylor Stadium.

— Mizzou Athletics —

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Men’s Basketball has signed transfer guard Mark Smith to its 2018 recruiting class, head coach Cuonzo Martin announced Monday. Smith, the 2017 Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year and 2017 Illinois Mr. Basketball, was a consensus four-star, Top-80 recruit out of high school.

Smith transfers from the University of Illinois, where he made 19 starts in 31 game appearances and averaged 5.8 points and 1.4 assists as a freshman. The Edwardsville, Illinois, native will sit out the 2018-19 campaign due to NCAA transfer rules and have three years of eligibility remaining.

“We are excited to have Mark Smith join the Mizzou Basketball Family,” Martin said. “Mark is a high character individual and a great fit for our program. We can’t thank his parents, Yvonne and Anthony, enough for trusting us with their son. He is a dynamic, talented scorer and distributor, and we can’t wait to get him to campus.”

Smith averaged 21.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 2.1 steals as a senior while captaining Edwardsville High School to a 30-2 record. He racked up eight 30-point games and reached double figures 30 times.

After his stellar senior campaign, Smith garnered First-Team All-State recognition from the Associated Press, Chicago Tribune, Champaign News-Gazette and the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. He was also named St. Louis Dispatch All-Metro, and Champaign News-Gazette Player of the Year.

“Cuonzo has a lot of faith in me, he’s expecting big things from me in the future and I just feel like we have a really good relationship,” Smith said. “I’m excited to get to Columbia and work with him and the staff.”

Smith steered Edwardsville to the IHSA Class 4A Sectional Championship, exploding for a career-high 45 points and hauling in 16 rebounds in the title game. He is the fifth member in a vaunted group of Mizzou newcomers heading in to the 2018-19 season, alongside signees K.J. Santos, Javon Pickett, Xavier Pinson and Torrence Watson.

— Mizzou Athletics —

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Mizzou Baseball lost its series finale against No. 1 Florida, 7-2, Saturday night in game two of a doubleheader at McKethan Stadium. Mizzou falls to 24-12 on the year and 6-9 in SEC play while Florida improves to 32-6 and 12-3 in SEC play. Mizzou grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the third, but Florida scored lone runs in the fourth and fifth innings before exploding for five in the eighth to earn the win.

Junior LHP Michael Plassmeyer took his first loss of the season, going 5.1 innings while allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits while striking out six. The go-ahead run was an unearned run in the fourth inning following an error that turned a double from Florida CF Nick Horvath into a triple. He scored on a sacrifice fly to give the Gators the lead.

Gator RHP Tyler Dyson earned the win, improving to 5-2 on the year. He allowed one run on four hits over 5.0 innings.

TURNING POINT

Mizzou ran out to a 1-0 lead in the nightcap, getting an RBI sacrifice fly by Zach Hanna in the top of the third inning, but the Gators, as they did all weekend, immediately answered in their half of the inning. JJ Schwarz ripped an RBI double just inside the left field line, past an out-stretched 3B Alex Samples. That evened the game and Florida then grabbed a 2-1 lead in the in the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly by 1B Brady Smith.

Florida then scored five runs in the ninth to put the game away before Hanna hit his third homer of the season in the top of the ninth inning.

QUOTING MIZZOU

Head Coach Steve Bieser

“We just got it handed to us. That’s about all I can say. They dominated us. That’s the game, you have to play nine innings. We competed well for seven innings in the first game and almost eight innings in the second game. We just didn’t finish it out. That’s the game of baseball; you have to play all nine innings and you have to play them all well. We just have to regroup and turn this thing around.”

TOP TIGERS

–          Junior OF Zach Hanna tallied a SAC fly in the third inning, his third RBI of the series and sixth of the week. He also walked in the game. Hanna homered in the ninth inning for his second of the week and third of the season as well.

–          Hanna hit 5-for-12 (.417) with four runs, seven RBI, two homers and two doubles over the four games.

–          Junior 1B Brian Sharp drew a pair of walks Saturday, his second game this season with multiple walks.

–          Junior LHP Michael Plassmeyer went 5.1 innings and allowed just two runs (one earned) on six hits with six strikeouts in a tough-luck loss, his first of the season.

–          Sophomore Kameron Misner turned in his team-leading 15^th multi-hit game of the season in the nightcap.

UP NEXT

Mizzou will be back in action Tuesday at home against Chicago State. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m. for that game.

— Mizzou Athletics —

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.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 24 Mizzou Baseball dropped game one of its three-game set at No. 1 Florida, 3-1, Friday evening at McKethan Stadium. The game was tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning, but Gator RF Wil Dalton ripped a game-winning, two-run, two-out double on a 1-2 pitch to give the Gators their first lead, one they did not relinquish.

Mizzou sophomore LHP T.J. Sikkema (DeWitt, Iowa) took a tough-luck loss as the winning run was charged to him after allowing leadoff single in the eighth. He worked a season-high 7.1 innings with a season-high eight strikeouts.

Florida freshman LHP Jordan Butler earned the win, improving to 4-1 on the year, while Michael Byrne earned his ninth save with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.

TURNING POINT

Mizzou and Florida traded runs in the first inning, with Mizzou scoring on an RBI groundout from senior C Brett Bond following a pair of walks from Florida starter Brady Singer to open the game. Florida answered in its half of the first with a one-out homer from Nelson Moldanodo.

The game stayed that way until the bottom of the eighth inning as Sikkema allowed a leadoff single to 1B Brady Smith to open the frame. After the Gators bunted Smith over, Mizzou head coach Steve Bieser went to the bullpen for RHP Andy Toelken, who retired the first man he faced. The Tigers then elected to intentionally pass Johnathan India to face Wil Dalton, who ripped the game-winning, two-run double off the wall in left. The double came on a 1-2 pitch.

QUOTING MIZZOU

Head Coach Steve Bieser

“It was quite a pitcher’s duel. We expected that going out. Their guy has done that to many teams this year. We competed hard and we just didn’t get the clutch hit. There in the eighth inning, we just left a pitch up – it just wasn’t a very well-executed pitch – and those things happen in a game. You have to give them credit. They went out and put a good swing on the pitch and that’s why they won the game.”

TOP TIGERS

–          Sophomore LHP T.J. Sikkema went a season-long 7.1 innings and a season-high with eight strikeouts. He surrendered two runs on six hits and walked just one.

–          Senior C Brett Bond tallied a hit and an RBI in the loss, extending his hitting streak to 10 games. He is hitting .393 with three RBI over his last seven games.

–          Freshman Cade Bormet tallied his first career multi-walk game in his first appearance in the leadoff spot.

NOTES

• Mizzou now trails the series with Florida, 4-18.
• Mizzou falls to 5-4 on Fridays this season.
• Mizzou falls to 14-8 in three-game series this season.
• Mizzou falls to 6-4 against ranked teams this season and 5-4 vs. ranked teams on the road.
• Mizzou falls to 7-5 in road games and 9-7 in games away from home
• Mizzou scored in the first inning for the 17^th time in 34 games this season Friday. Mizzou is now 13-4 in such games this season.
• Senior C Brett Bond tallied his third RBI in four games Friday. Bond extended his hitting streak to 10 games and is now hitting 11-for-25 (.440) over his last seven games.
• Freshman DH Cade Bormet tallied his first career game with multiple walks Friday.
• Sophomore LHP T.J. Sikkema reset season-high with eight strikeouts and went a season-long 7.1 on the mound Friday. It was his longest outing since a complete-game shutout at Tennessee on May 18, 2017.

UP NEXT

Mizzou and Florida will conclude their series tomorrow with a doubleheader, beginning at 3 p.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball junior lefty Michael Plassmeyer (St. Louis, Mo.) is the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week, announced Monday by the league office. The award comes on the heels of his first career complete game shutout last Saturday vs. Alabama. Plassmeyer is the second Mizzou pitcher to earn the honor this season, joining junior RHP Bryce Montes De Oca (Lawrence, Kan.) who earned the award after throwing the first 7.0 innings of a combined no-hitter vs. UMBC March 2.

Plassmeyer allowed just four baserunners in his first career complete game shutout in a 1-0 win over Alabama Saturday, striking out seven and walking none while scattering only four hits. He dominated Alabama batters all afternoon as he retired 16 straight in a stretch spanning from the first inning until the sixth. It was the longest streak of consecutive retired batters for a Mizzou pitcher this season and the longest of Plassmeyer’s career. It was also the first complete game shutout for a Mizzou pitcher since Cole Bartlett shut out Tennessee last season (5/19/17). The 9.0 innings are a new career-high in IP for Plassmeyer.

Plassmeyer has now made four starts in SEC play and the junior has worked 29.1 innings while allowing only 20 hits and four runs. Meanwhile, he’s totaled 30 strikeouts and has only issued five walks in those outings. Plassmeyer has now made four straight starts with seven or more strikeouts. Overall, the St. Louis, Mo., native has struck out at least seven in six of his seven starts. Plassmeyer delivered first-pitch strikes to 30 of the 33 batters he faced and he faced just four over the minimum in the start.

Plassmeyer is now fifth in the SEC with a 1.99 ERA and second in strikeouts, with 20 of his 65 being of the looking variety. He trails only Auburn’s Casey Mize in strikeouts – Mize is projected to be a top-five pick in this summer’s MLB Draft. Plassmeyer is also second in the SEC in innings pitched at 54.1 this season. His 1.23 ERA in SEC games is second in the league while his 29.1 innings are the most for any SEC pitcher in league action this season.

— Mizzou Athletics —

COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 18 Mizzou Baseball dropped the second game in Saturday’s doubleheader against Alabama, 5-1, Saturday evening at Taylor Stadium. Sophomore OF Kameron Misner scored the lone run for the Tigers on an RBI single by senior C Brett Bond in the third inning.  Missouri lost the opener game of their doubleheader with the Crimson Tide 1-0.

Starting pitcher, redshirt junior RHP Bryce Montes De Oca, took the loss, just his second of the season. Montes De Oca gave up three runs (only two earned) in 3.0 innings, allowing two hits and two walks.

TURNING POINT

A pair of walks for the Crimson Tide to lead off the third inning set up Alabama junior OF Joe Breaux to knock in a run with a bases-loaded single. The inning continued with a series of a base hit and a Mizzou throwing error that put Alabama up 3-0 early in the game.

The Tigers attempted to chip away at the lead in the bottom half of the inning, with a base hit, stolen base and run scored by sophomore OF Kameron Misner, but that was all for Mizzou on a cold day at Taylor Stadium.  

TOP TIGERS

–          Senior RHP Andy Toelken threw five innings for the Tigers, keeping the Crimson Tide scoreless despite allowing five hits. Toelken struck out five Alabama batters, allowing only one walk.

–          Senior C Brett Bond tallies one RBI in the game, bringing him within 33 RBI of career top 10 in program history. He records his 10^th multi-hit game of the season.

NOTES

• Despite the loss, Mizzou still leads the all-time series with Alabama, 7-6.
• Mizzou is now 8-3 on Saturdays this season.
• Mizzou falls to 16-3 in night games this season.
• Mizzou falls to 4-2 in doubleheaders this season.
• Mizzou falls to 12-7 in three-game series this season.
• With the loss, Mizzou is now 15-3 at Taylor Stadium this season.
• Mizzou falls to 6-6 in conference play this season.

UP NEXT

Mizzou will be back in action Tuesday, traveling to in-state foe Missouri State.

— Mizzou Athletics —

COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 18 Mizzou Baseball dropped its series opener against Alabama, 2-1, Friday afternoon (April 6) at Taylor Stadium. Junior LF Zach Hanna had the lone RBI for the Tigers after a single to right field drove in sophomore CF Kameron Misner.

Mizzou sophomore LHP T.J. Sikkema took the loss, his second of the season, after allowing six hits over 6.0 innings. Alabama pushed both its runs across in the second inning after stringing together three consecutive singles.

TURNING POINT

A double in the second inning by Alabama’s Hunter Alexander started the game-winning two-run second inning for the Crimson Tide. Sam Praytor, Jett Manning and Kyle Kaufman added back-to-back-to-back two-out singles with Praytor and Kaufman each recording RBIs to put up the crooked number that eventually turned out to be the winning runs.

The Tigers answered in the fourth as Misner started the inning with a single and junior 1B Brian Sharp followed with another single. Hanna drove home Misner but that was all the Tigers could get. Mizzou threated with hits in each inning and 13 hits overall but Alabama answered, turning three double play in the game.

QUOTING MIZZOU

Head Coach Steve Bieser: 
“When we put 13 hits together and just can’t score more than one run, that is frustrating. I think it was some of the approached we had when we had runners in scoring position were frustrating. It was a disappointing loss. A lot of times in the game, you don’t always win the game, but you do lose the game. That’s what we did today – find ways to lose.”

TOP TIGERS

• Junior 1B Brian Sharp recorded his seventh multi-hit game this season, first since March 17 at LSU, with three hits on the day. Sharp now has four three-hit games this season which is second most on the team.
• Junior LF Zach Hanna now has four hits in his last four games. Previously Hanna had four hits in his last 10 games for the Tigers.
• Freshman DH Cade Bormet recorded his first career multi-hit game going 2-3 on the day with two singles.

• Sophomore SS Chris Cornelius notched his fifth multi-hit game of the season with three singles. This was his first three hit game since February 21 at Miami.

NOTES

• Despite the loss, Mizzou still leads the all-time series with Alabama, 6-5
• Mizzou is now 5-3 on Fridays this season
• Mizzou falls to 11-6 in three-game series this season.
• The loss was just the second that the Tigers have suffered at Taylor Stadium this season. Mizzou is now 14-2 at home.
• Mizzou falls to 5-5 in conference play this season.
• After recording 12 hits, Mizzou has now tallied 12 or more hits in seven games this season. Friday’s loss was the Tigers first when having at least 12 hits.
• Mizzou suffered their first loss in a one-run game, falling to 3-1 in such contests this season.
• After the 2-1 defeat, Mizzou is now 15-1 when holding opponents under three runs.
• Sophomore CF Kameron Misner collected his 40^th hit of the season with a single in the fourth inning. Misner had 60 last year. With a single in the eighth, Misner tallied his ninth multi-hit game of the season, tying Brett Bond for the team lead.
• Junior 1B Brian Sharp posted his fourth multi-hit game, totaling three singles. It was his first multi-hit game since March 17^th at LSU.
• Junior LF Zach Hanna knocked in the Tigers’ lone run on an RBI single in the fifth inning. It was Hanna’s third hit this week and he now has four hits in the last four games. Before that, Hanna only had four knocks over his last ten ballgames.
• Freshman DH Cade Bormet had a pair of singles and recorded his first career multi-hit game
• Sophomore SS Chris Cornelius recorded three singles giving him his first three-hit game since February 21 at Miami.
• Sophomore SP T.J. Sikkema worked 6.0 innings and allowed two runs while striking out six. Sikkema has now lasted at least 6.0 innings in each of his three starts this season and has allowed three runs per start while averaging nearly six strikeouts.
• After sitting down a pair on strikes, junior RP Jordan Gubelman now has 11 strikeouts in 7.2 innings of work during conference play this season.

UP NEXT

Mizzou and Alabama play game two of the series Saturday at 1 p.m.

— Mizzou Athletics —

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri freshman forward Jontay Porter is following brother Michael Jr. into the NBA draft.

Porter said Thursday that he will enter the draft without hiring an agent, allowing him to pull out of the draft and retain eligibility.

“I have loved everything about my experience on and off the court as a member of the Mizzou family but have always dreamed of playing in the NBA,” Porter said.

The 6-foot-11 forward averaged 9.9 points and 6.8 rebounds.

Michael Porter Jr. entered the draft March 26, and had hired an agent. The 6-foot-10 forward played two minutes in the team’s opener, then had lower back surgery Nov. 21. He returned for the SEC Tournament, scoring 12 points in a loss to Georgia. He had 16 points in 28 minutes in a first-round loss to Florida State in the NCAA Tournament.

— Associated Press —