BATON ROUGE, LA.  – Three home runs provided the offense, and sophomore RHP Tori Finucane pitched perhaps her finest outing of the season as Mizzou (39-13) opened the post-season with a resounding 9-0 shutout win in six innings over Mississippi State (35-19) in the opening game of the 2015 SEC Tournament.

Finucane allowed just one hit in 6.0 innings to improve to 19-8 on the season, and she got plenty of help from her teammates as senior SS Corrin Genovese, senior 1B Kelsea Roth and sophomore C Kirsten Mack all homered to fuel a nine-hit Tiger attack.

Genovese opened scoring in the bottom of the second as she turned on a 2-1 pitch for a homer to left field, her fourth round-tripper of the season (15th career), which made it 1-0.

After a bases-loaded walk to sophomore LF Natalie Fleming made it 2-0 Tigers in the fourth, Roth dealt the death blow in the fifth, when she stung a towering fly ball that cleared the left field wall with the bases loaded for her 12th home run of the season (2nd grand slam in 2015).  It was her 43rd-career round-tripper, moving her to within four of the Mizzou career home run record of 47 set by Jen Bruck (2005-08).

Mack put the game on ice with a three-run shot down the left field line in the bottom of the sixth that made it 9-0 and ended the game as the run-rule was invoked.  The home run was Mack’s 14th of the season and pushed her into a tie for the team lead, along with freshman 3B Amanda Sanchez.

The only hit allowed by Finucane was a line drive off the glove of 3B Angela Randazzo in the fourth inning.  Finucane threw only 79 pitches and struck out two Bulldogs while walking two for her third shutout of the season.

Sanchez had two hits Wednesday despite playing with a gimpy ankle that she injured in Mizzou’s win Sunday over #1 Florida.  She was unable to make the start at third base for the first time this season, but started as the DP and went 2-for-4.

Mizzou advances to the SEC Tournament Quarterfinal round tomorrow and will face off against 3rd-ranked Auburn (46-9) at 10 a.m. central time.  The game will be televised live on the SEC Network.

— MU Sports Information —

COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 21 Mizzou baseball (28-20, 14-10) fell to the Ole Miss Rebels (25-24, 11-13) by a 4-3 final score on Sunday afternoon (May 3) at Taylor Stadium. The Rebels were able to avoid the Mizzou sweep behind 10 hits including two homeruns from Sikes Orvis.

Orvis crushed two homeruns in back-to-back at bats in the second and fourth innings, respectively, to give the Rebels a 2-0 lead. The Tigers responded in the bottom of the fourth inning with a run of their own after Shane Benes (St. Louis, Mo.) smashed a solo shot over the right field wall for his first career homer. Peter Fairbanks (St. Louis, Mo) was lifted after four innings for Andrew Schwaab (St. Charles, Mo.). Schwaab pitched three innings, striking out a career-high six Rebel batters.

Jake Ivory (St. Charles, Mo.) and Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.) reached on singles in the bottom of the seventh inning, but the Tigers were unable to capitalize after an interference call gave Ole Miss a 5-3 double play. Ole Miss added another run to their 3-1 lead in the top of the eighth with a J.B. Woodman RBI sacrifice bunt. The Tigers grabbed two runs in the bottom half of the frame. Josh Lester (Columbus, Ga.) and Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) hit back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) smoked a two-RBi single to right field for his fourth consecutive game with an RBI. Bond’s single brought the Tigers within one, 4-3. Both teams went 1-2-3 in the ninth inning as Ole Miss sealed the victory.

Missouri completes their four-game home stand Tuesday against Southeast Missouri State. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.

— MU Sports Information —

CHICAGO, Ill. – Two more standouts from the 2014 Mizzou Tiger football team had their names called at the 2015 NFL Draft, giving Mizzou five picks in all – its most since six Tigers were taken in 2009.

Adding their names to the annals of Mizzou NFL Draft history today were WR Bud Sasser (Denton, Texas) and TB/KR Marcus Murphy (DeSoto, Texas). Sasser was taken with the 25th pick of the sixth round (pick #201 overall) by the in-state St. Louis Rams, while Murphy was snagged with the 13th pick of round seven (#230 overall) by the New Orleans Saints.

Sasser won 1st-Team All-SEC honors in 2014 after a breakout season as he became a 1,000-yard receiver for the 11-3 SEC Eastern Division and Citrus Bowl champion Tigers. Sasser led Mizzou in all receiving categories as he caught 77 passes for 1,003 yards and 12 touchdowns. He is the first wide receiver to be drafted from Mizzou since Jeremy Maclin in 2009 (Eagles, 1st round, #19 overall). He is the third Tiger to be taken by the Rams in the last two drafts, joining CB E.J. Gaines (6th round, #188 overall) and DE Michael Sam (7th round, #249 overall).

Murphy won 1st-Team All-American honors for a stellar senior season where he did it all for Mizzou, gaining 1,921 all-purpose yards, including 924 rushing yards, 504 kickoff return yards, 281 punt return yards and 212 receiving yards. Murphy scored touchdowns four different ways in 2014, including four rushing TDs, two kickoff return TDs, one receiving TD and one punt return score. Murphy closed out his Tiger career in style, rushing for a career-best 157 yards in helping lead Mizzou to a 33-17 Citrus Bowl win over Minnesota. He’s the first Tiger to be drafted by the Saints since 1982 (Brad Edelman, 2nd round, #30 overall).

It was a banner year overall for Mizzou in the draft, as the five picks are the second-most under Gary Pinkel, behind only the six Tigers selected in 2009. In the Pinkel era, 32 Tigers have been drafted now overall, including 22 in the last seven drafts (2009-15).

Sasser and Murphy were preceded in the 2015 NFL Draft by Shane Ray (Broncos, 1st round, #23 overall), Mitch Morse (Chiefs, 2nd round, #49 overall) and Markus Golden(Cardinals, 2nd round, #58 overall). Mizzou and Alabama are the only two SEC teams to have three players selected in the first two rounds this year.

— MU Sports Information —

CHICAGO, Ill. – Mizzou football’s Mitch Morse (Austin, Texas) and Markus Golden (St. Louis, Mo.) were both selected on day two of the NFL Draft on Friday (May 1), giving Mizzou three selections thus far after Shane Ray (Kansas City, Mo.) was drafted in the Thursday’s first round. Morse was taken with the 17th pick of the second round (49th overall) by the Kansas City Chiefs while Golden was selected with the 26th pick of the second round (58th overall) by the Arizona Cardinals.

Mizzou has now had 29 players drafted under the direction of head coach Gary Pinkel while Mizzou as a program has had 47 total players selected in history.

Morse was voted by the SEC coaches as an All-SEC Second Team honoree. The Texas native started all 14 games and started his final 38 games as a Tiger at right tackle, protecting the blindside of QB Maty Mauk. He was a cornerstone of an offensive line that helped Mizzou rack up an average of 367.0 yards per game, including 177.9 yards per game on the ground. Morse helped guide Mizzou to a 24-5 record and back-to-back SEC East Championships in his last two seasons, serving as a captain in 2014.

Golden evolved into a fan favorite with his high motor over the past two seasons. Golden earned All-SEC Second Team honors at defensive end from the league’s coaches and was an Associated Press All-SEC honorable mention selection as well. The St. Louis, Mo., native was Walter Camp National Defensive Player of the Week following his performance at Tennessee (Nov. 22) and was SEC Defensive Player of the Week as well. He finished 2014 third on the team with his 78 tackles, 20 of which went for a loss to go along with 10.0 sacks and a team-high 12 quarterback hurries. He also forced three fumbles and recovered three more. Golden ranked ninth nationally in tackles for loss and is 20th nationally in sacks, ranking in the top-six in the SEC in both categories. He was a monster in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl, earning MVP honors with a game-high 10 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and 1.5 sacks.  He also added three QB hurries in the 33-17 win over Minnesota

— MU Sports Information —

CHICAGO, Ill. – Mizzou junior defensive end and reigning SEC Defensive Player of the Year Shane Ray (Kansas City, Mo.) was selected with the No. 23 overall pick in the first round of the 2015 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos on Thursday (April 30).

Ray becomes the seventh Mizzou standout since 2009 to be drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft, joining DL Sheldon Richardson (No. 13 to the New York Jets in 2013), DL Aldon Smith (No. 7 to San Francisco in 2011), QB Blaine Gabbert (No. 10 to Jacksonville in 2011), LB Sean Weatherspoon (No. 19 to Atlanta in 2010), WR Jeremy Maclin (No. 19 to Philadelphia in 2009) and DT Ziggy Hood (No. 32 to Pittsburgh in 2009). Ray continues the trend of defensive lineman taking their careers in the NFL, becoming the sixth defensive lineman under Craig Kuligowski to be drafted since 2009.

Ray is the 19th Tiger in history to be taken in the NFL Draft’s first round. Prior to Thursday’s draft, Mizzou ranked among the top five programs nationally in first round NFL Draft picks since 2009. Mizzou head coach Gary Pinkel has now seen 27 players drafted since taking over the program in 2001. Below is a rundown of Mizzou’s draft picks.

Ray is coming off of a stellar junior season that saw him earn consensus First Team All-America honors after breaking Mizzou’s single-season sacks record with 14.5 on the year. He also added 22.5 tackles-for-loss. He was dubbed the SEC Defensive Player of the Year by both the Associated Press and the league’s 14 coaches, and additionally he was a four-time SEC weekly award winner. Ray was also a finalist for the Hendricks Award, given to the nation’s top DE and was also a semifinalist for the Lombardi and Bednarik Awards. He led the SEC in sacks and tackles-for-loss, ranking in the top five nationally in both categories.

Rounds two and three of the NFL Draft will be held Friday evening, beginning at 6 p.m. (CT) in Chicago on ESPN, as several more Tiger hopefuls will look to hear their names called.

— MU Sports Information —

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 14 Mizzou baseball dropped its series finale at No. 8 Vanderbilt on Sunday at Hawkins Field. Vanderbilt scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to rally past the Tigers, who stranded eight men on base and squandered a great outing from junior right Peter Fairbanks (St. Louis, Mo.), who scattered five hits over 6.1 innings with just two runs. He struck out four and walked just two.

Mizzou’s 3-4-5 hitters – Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.), Josh Lester (Columbus, Ga.) and Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga. – each tallied two hits with Lester clubbing his fourth homer of the season in the sixth inning. Mizzou left 27 runners on base in the three-game series. It is the first time Mizzou has been swept in SEC play this season.

Fairbanks was sensational through the first four innings, allowing just one hit and one walk, facing the minimum through four innings. Mizzou threatened to score in the fourth, putting runners on the corners with no outs but couldn’t get a run across. The Tigers then had two men on in the fifth and couldn’t capitalize. The Tigers stranded six runners through five innings.

Zander Wiel then got to Fairbanks in the fifth, launching a solo shot to left center on the first pitch Fairbanks threw in the frame, staking the Commodores to a 1-0 lead. He pitched out of the fifth, allowing just two hits through five, unfortunately one left the yard.

But as quick as Vanderbilt jumped on top, the Tigers tied the game. Just like Wiel did, Lester jumped on the first pitch that Buehler threw in the sixth for a solo homer over the bleachers in right field. It was his fourth homer of the season and it tied the game at 1-1. Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) then singled in the next at-bat, but the Tigers couldn’t get anything else going.

Mizzou took the lead on a two-out, RBI single by Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.) who knocked in Jack Klages (St. Louis, Mo.) on a hard-hit ball back up the middle. Klages led off the frame with a single before advancing to third as he reached base in three plate appearances Sunday.

Vanderbilt then tied the game on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the frame after Faribanks put runners on second and third with just one out. Austin Tribby (Springfield, Mo.) did a great job of pitching Mizzou out of that jam, getting the final two outs of the seventh inning, including a strikeout looking of Vandy catcher Karl Ellison to strand the go-ahead run at third base.

Mizzou then got into trouble in the eighth inning as a hit and an error on a sacrifice attempt put runners on the corners with no outs. Then, with the bases loaded, Dansby Swanson roped a Breckin Williams (Oronogo, Mo.) pitch off the wall in left for a two-run, go-ahead double. Vandy added another run on a two-out single by Will Toffey and took a 5-2 lead into the ninth. Mizzou went 1-2-3 in the ninth inning as Vandy completed the sweep.

Mizzou will look to snap its four-game losing streak Tuesday at No. 15 Missouri State. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Hammons Field.

— MU Sports Information —

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – No. 14 Mizzou baseball dropped game two of its series at No. 8 Vanderbilt, 12-2, on Saturday afternoon (April 25) at Hawkins Field. Vanderbilt’s Philip Pfiefer struck out a career-high 13 Mizzou batters en-route to his third win of the season. Mizzou’s Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) was tagged with the loss after allowing seven runs on nine hits, both season-highs for the freshman.

Junior Josh Lester (Columbus, Ga.) and sophomore Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) each finished the game with two hits and senior Jake Ivory (St. Charles, Mo.) tallied his second career homer in the fifth inning. Howard and Ivory had the team’s RBIs on Saturday. The loss is just Mizzou’s third on Saturday this season, dropping the Tigers to 12-3 on Saturdays. Mizzou is now 26-17 and 12-8 in SEC play. Vanderbilt moves to 32-12 and 14-6 in SEC play.

Houck cruised through the first two innings before getting into trouble in the third. He allowed a bunt single to catcher Jason Delay. He was moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt and Ro Coleman then reached on a fielder’s choice to put a pair of men on ahead of a three-run homer by Rhett Wiseman, his second of the weekend. That gave Vanderbilt a 3-0 lead after three innings.

The Tigers looked primed to respond to the three-spot in the third, putting the first two runners on in the fourth. But strikeouts from Zach Lavy (Auxvasse, Mo.) and Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) and a fielder’s choice by Shane Benes (Town & Country, Mo.) got Vanderbilt out of the jam.

Mizzou got on the board in the fifth inning on Ivory’s second career homer, a shot over the right field wall. But Vanderbilt came right back in the bottom of the frame, scoring on a two-out RBI double by Dansby Swanson to regain a three-run cushion at 4-1.

Vanderbilt then came back and put up a crooked number in the sixth, extending the lead to 7-1 before Houck was lifted in favor of Austin Tribby (Springfield, Mo.). Mizzou added another run in the seventh on an RBI double by Howard and Lester nearly cut into the lead as he drove a pitch to the warning track with runners on second and third, but it was caught for out No. 3 to end the threat. Vandy added a run in the seventh inning and four more in the eighth on a grand slam by Zander Wiel. Mizzou then got nothing in the ninth.

Mizzou and Vanderbilt will play the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m. at Hawkins Field. Peter Fairbanks (4-3, 2.48 ERA) will get the start for the Tigers against Vanderbilt’s Walker Buehler (3-1, 2.68 ERA).

— MU Sports Information —

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Missouri has extended football coach Gary Pinkel’s contract through 2021, according to MUTigers.com and upped his yearly salary to $4.02 million, making him the 10th Southeastern Conference coach to have a yearly salary of at least $4 million.

Pinkel is headed into his 15th season at Missouri and is already the winningest coach in school history with 113 victories. He was making $3.2 million per year.

The 62-year-old Pinkel has led the Tigers to SEC East titles the last two years. Missouri, which joined the SEC in 2012, has won five division titles under Pinkel, including three in the Big 12.

“The success of our football program has helped elevate the university’s national profile and Gary’s teams have provided some incredibly proud moments for all Missourians,” MU Chancellor Dr. R. Bowen Loftin told MUTigers.com. “His commitment to excellence is exemplified not only in his on-field success, but in the academic achievements of his student-athletes and the high character young men who graduate from MU. This commitment to Gary is well-earned.”

Pinkel was coach of the year in the SEC last year, guiding the Tigers to an 11-3 finish and Citrus Bowl win after being picked fourth in the division.

— Associated Press —

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Jack Klages (St. Louis, Mo.) and Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.) each picked up three-run hits in a six-run fifth inning as No. 23 Mizzou rallied to defeat Tennessee, 8-3, on Friday night (April 10) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The win evens the series with the Volunteers and moves Mizzou to 23-12 on the year and 9-5 in SEC play. Reining SEC Pitcher of the Week Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) earned his sixth win of the season as he is now 6-1 in nine starts this season. The win snaps a three-game winning streak for the Vols, who fall to 15-15 and 5-9 in SEC play.

After Tennessee took a 2-0 lead with a single run in both the first and second innings, Klages ripped a bases-loaded double off the wall in right center to give Mizzou a 3-2 lead. Ring then launched his second career homer after a Brett Peel (St. Charles, Mo.) single to give Mizzou a 6-2 lead. In all, the Tigers scored six runs on six hits in the frame. The Tigers added a run in the sixth and ninth innings and Breckin Williams (Oronogo, Mo.) earned his eighth save of the season.

Mizzou got multi-hit performances from Klages, Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) and Zach Lavy (Auxvasse, Mo.) and the Tigers as a team pounded five extra-base hits (four doubles and a homer). Two came from Klages as both his hits went for a double.

The Vols took an early lead after a Nick Senzel leadoff triple that Logan Pearson (Bentonville, Ark.) nearly caught but lost the handle of as he crashed into the wall in right field. Senzel then scored on a groundout to short by A.J. Simcox. A no-out double by Jared Pruett in the second plated Derek Lance and Tennessee appeared to be in business against Houck.

But he settled in and the offense gave him support in the top of the fifth inning, highlighted by a pair of three-run hits by both Klages and Ring. With the bases loaded, Klages lifted a 1-1 pitch off the wall in right center, just missing a grand slam, for a bases-clearing three-run double, giving Mizzou a 3-2 lead. Brett Peel (St. Charles, Mo.) then singled to keep the rally alive and Ring lifted his second collegiate homer over the wall in right center to stake the Tigers to a 6-2 lead.

Mizzou added another run in the sixth inning as Zach Lavy (Auxvasses, Mo.) drew a walk and scored on a pair of wild pitches by reliever Hunter Martin. Tennesse got a run back in the bottom of the sixth but Andrew Schwaab (St. Charles, Mo.) did a nice job of pitching out of a jam, as Mizzou took a 7-3 lead into the seventh.

Schwaab pitched out of a jam again in the seventh and got into more trouble in the eighth, putting two men on with one out. That gave way to Williams who shut down the Vols over the final 1.2 innings. Howard added insurance with an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning

The rubber game of the series will be Saturday at 11 a.m.

— MU Sports Information —