College – Page 232 – St. Joseph Post Archive

Griffons drop seventh straight as they come up short at Pittsburg State

Posted on February 18, 2017

PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Missouri Western men’s basketball team fell on the road to Pittsburg State 65-63. It is Missouri Western’s second consecutive one possession loss.

NOTABLES
– Pittsburg State’s Elijah Gaines scored the game-winning lay-up with four seconds remaining

– Aaron Emmanuel knocked down two free-throws to tie the game with 20 seconds left

– Missouri Western was 12-16 from the free-throw line

– Griffons were 6-11 from three-point in the first half but just 1-10 in the second half

– MWSU had four players score in double-figures

TOP PERFORMERS
– TJ Evans scored 19 points, he has now scored double figures in 15 of the last 17 games

– Aaron Emmanuel netted 12 points, 10 of those coming in the second half

– Isaiah Hicks had 17 points and eight rebounds for the Gorillas

UP NEXT
Missouri Western returns to the MWSU Fieldhouse to host Lincoln at 7:30 p.m on Thursday, Feb 23.

— MWSU Athletics —

Missouri gets blown out at Tennessee

Posted on February 18, 2017

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee guard Robert Hubbs III’s different look gave the Volunteers some different luck.

Grant Williams scored 25 points and Hubbs added 21 on Saturday as Tennessee bounced back from its most lopsided loss of the season by delivering a 90-70 blowout of Missouri.

Hubbs had his hair in cornrows for the first time this season, though he said it wasn’t a superstitious attempt to get out of his recent funk. Hubbs, the Vols’ leading scorer, had exceeded the 11-point mark just once in the six games leading up to this one while battling a knee injury.

“I just had to do something with it,” Hubbs said. “It was getting out of control, so one of my friends was like, `Just braid it.’ ”

The hairstyle resulted in some good-natured teasing from Tennessee coach Rick Barnes as Hubbs entered the postgame interview room.

Hubbs said he felt faster with his hair braided.

“That hair was like a windshield holding you back,” Barnes quipped.

When Barnes asked why Hubbs didn’t just cut his hair short, the senior guard replied that it would “look weird.”

“You don’t think that does?” Barnes replied.

Hubbs wasn’t saying how he planned to style his hair for Tennessee’s next game, but his teammates may want him to keep the cornrows as a good-luck charm. Tennessee had lost three of its last four games before Saturday and was coming off an 83-58 loss at No. 13 Kentucky, but the Vols’ victory over Missouri kept alive their NCAA Tournament hopes.

Tennessee (15-12, 7-7 SEC) already has matched its win total from last year, when the Volunteers finished 15-19 for their first losing season since 2004-05.

Although Tennessee has a much better record, Missouri (7-19, 2-12) actually had been playing better than the Vols recently. Missouri had split its last four games. Tennessee had lost three of its last four and was coming off its most lopsided defeat of the year — an 83-58 setback at No. 13 Kentucky.

“We’ve actually used Missouri as an example all year to our players (because they’re) a team that shows great perseverance,” Barnes said. “They keep playing hard. And over the last couple of weeks, they’ve gotten some wins because they’ll battle you. We’ve told our guys we’ve got to have that resolve.”

But the Tigers couldn’t put up much resistance against Tennessee.

After Missouri’s Cullen VanLeer gave Missouri a 2-0 lead 54 seconds into the game, the Tigers wouldn’t get another basket for over eight minutes. Tennessee went on a 16-2 run and scored 13 straight points during one portion of that Missouri drought.

Tennessee was ahead 41-28 at halftime and led by as many as 24 in the second half.

“The impressive thing about (Tennessee) is how hard they play,” Missouri coach Kim Anderson said. “It’s not that they’re particularly big, but they play really hard. I thought we didn’t match that intensity level at the beginning of the game. Consequently, when that happens, you tend to foul a lot. We fouled a lot, especially in the first half, put them on the line and they made free throws.”

Admiral Schofield scored 17 points and Shembari Phillips had 10 for Tennessee. Terrence Phillips scored 18 points, Jordan Barnett had 11 and Kevin Puryear added 10 for Missouri.

BIG PICTURE

Missouri: Saturday’s game represented a reunion of sorts for Barnett and Barnes. Barnett played 21 games and averaged 1.9 points in 2014-15 for a Texas team that was coached by Barnes. … Missouri’s frustrating day included technical fouls that were called on assistant coach Rob Fulford and Phillips.

Tennessee: The Vols have led by at least 13 points in five of their losses this season, but they had no trouble protecting a double-digit advantage Saturday. Tennessee remained in front by at least 10 throughout the second half.

TURNING POINT

After trailing by 18 late in the first half, Missouri went on an 11-0 spurt to cut Tennessee’s lead to 33-26.

Tennessee responded with a five-point possession, as Lamonte Turner hit a 3-pointer and Williams sank two free throws after getting fouled away from the ball. The Vols weren’t seriously threatened the rest of the way.

UP NEXT

Missouri: Hosts No. 13 Kentucky on Tuesday.

Tennessee: Hosts Vanderbilt on Wednesday.

— Associated Press —

No. 3 KU scores final eight points to defeat No. 4 Baylor

Posted on February 18, 2017

WACO, Texas (AP) — No. 3 Kansas never seems to be too far behind to rally for victories.

After another comeback victory against a fellow top-10 team, the Jayhawks are probably too far ahead in the standings for anyone to keep them from winning their 13th consecutive Big 12 title.

Landen Lucas made two free throws with 11 seconds left, and Kansas didn’t allow No. 4 Baylor to get the ball to Johnathan Motley on the final possession, as the Jayhawks grabbed a stranglehold on the Big 12 race with a 67-65 victory Saturday.

“As far as a mental toughness team, I would take this team and go to the house and let it ride however it goes,” Kansas coach Bill Self said.

Five days after overcoming a 14-point deficit in the final 2:43 of regulation and then winning in overtime at home against No. 9 West Virginia, the Jayhawks had to come back from six points down in the final 3½ minutes this time.

“We were down by more than that last game,” said Frank Mason III, who led Kansas with 23 points. “We just showed toughness and leadership as far as the older guys, and I think the younger guys did a great job of following.”

The Jayhawks (24-3, 12-2) have a three-game lead in the Big 12 with four games to play. With one more win, Kansas will match the UCLA teams of the 1960s and ’70s by winning 13 consecutive conference championships, though Self still isn’t ready to talk about that.

“Well, we put ourselves in a great position,” Self said. “We’re not going to take it for granted. … Certainly with a different outcome, you’re up one [game] with four to play, so I’m really proud of our guys and how hard they compete.”

Lucas was fouled after his offensive rebound of Devonte Graham’s miss.

Baylor (22-5, 9-5) had one more chance, but after being unable to get the ball inside, Manu Lecomte missed on a last-ditch shot he took surrounded by defenders.

“There was no way we could get it,” said Motley, who was surrounded by Landen and Josh Jackson.

Motley had 19 points for Baylor, which has lost four of its last six games. Lecomte had 16 and Jo Lual-Acuil Jr. 11.

The Bears led 65-59 after King McClure made two free throws with 3:34 left. But they didn’t score again.

Jackson, who had 16 points, then had a layup and a one-handed windmill slam. Graham’s two free throws with 2:16 tied the game and were the last points before Lucas, who had missed his only two attempts earlier in the game, went to the line.

“I actually was very confident. I thought he’d make them. I did,” Self said. “I think he was confident too. … I’m not even sure they were close early, but these were pure and I don’t think there was much doubt.”

BIG PICTURE

Kansas: Being behind was no problem for the Jayhawks, who for the second time this season have won consecutive games over top-10 teams. With the conference title in reach, the next three games are against teams in the lower half of the Big 12 standings. Kansas has won 10 in a row against Baylor, though the last four were decided by six points or less.

Baylor: Not too long ago, Baylor was considered a potential No. 1 seed for the NCAA tournament. But the Bears now need to focus on getting back on track for March instead of chasing a Big 12 title. “We all want a conference championship, but I think everybody on our team definitely would rather have an NCAA Final Four or championship more,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “So that’s what we’ve got to gear for and get ready for and look forward to that opportunity.”

LONG TIME BEHIND

In a raucous Ferrell Center, with all the Baylor fans wearing neon yellow highlighter-colored T-shirts, Kansas never led until Mason’s jumper with 10:56 left made it 49-47. That was part of an 11-0 run before the Jayhawks went nearly 6½ minutes without a field goal while Baylor scored nine points in a row.

DOWN TO HALF-DOZEN

The Bears led by 12 before Mason and Jackson hit 3s in the final 38 seconds of the first half. “If it’s at 12, they have total control and momentum, but we kind of got a little bit of that back with those two plays,” Self said.

UP NEXT

Kansas: Home against TCU on Wednesday night.

Baylor: Home against Oklahoma on Tuesday night.

— Associated Press —

Johnson’s tip in sends Kansas State past Texas

Posted on February 18, 2017

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — D.J. Johnson tipped in a miss by Kamau Stokes with 1.6 seconds left, then made a free throw to send Kansas State to a 64-61 win over Texas on Saturday that snapped the Wildcats’ three-game losing streak.

Johnson’s tip came after Kansas State had called a timeout with 8 seconds left to set up a final play. Stokes, who had 14 points, drove to about 12 feet for the shot and Johnson got up over two defenders to get his hand on the ball for the winning basket.

“At the timeout I said, `somebody make a play, it might be a tip-in that makes the difference,” Kansas State coach Bruce Weber said. “Give D.J. a lot of credit.”

Wesley Iwundu scored 16 points and Barry Brown scored 15 for Kansas State (17-10, 6-8 Big 12), which had lost six of seven coming into the game.

Kendal Yancy scored 13 for Texas (10-17, 4-10) but also got beat to rebound on the final shot and fouled Johnson on the tip. Jarret Allen scored 12 for the Longhorns, who had rallied from nine points down early in the second half.

Kansas State led 48-39 but went nearly 8 minutes without scoring as Texas rallied before Stokes ended the drought with a 3-pointer. Andrew Jones tied it twice for Texas late, first with a 3-pointer, then a rim-rattling dunk that made it 59-59 with 1:22 left as the teams traded baskets down the stretch.

“Our guys kept believing and kept grinding,” Weber said.

BIG PICTURE:

Kansas State: The Wildcats really needed the victory if they hope to push for 20 wins and get above .500 in the Big 12 with the NCAA Tournament looming.

“It’s a hard league. You’ve got to grind it out, fight for everything. We got one today,” Weber said.

Texas: The Longhorns took another crushing loss in an already dismal season under second-year coach Shaka Smart. The Longhorns opened the season ranked in the Top 25 but have lost seven games by three points or less.

“Some of our younger guys are a little bit tired. They are fighting through it. They don’t have a choice but respond,” Yancy said.

HARD FOUL

Kansas State’s Austin Budke was ejected with about 12 minutes left after a hard foul on Allen. Allen was going up for a dunk when Budke hacked him in the neck area. Allen got up angry and the two players had to be separated. The game officials spend several minutes reviewing replays before ejected Budke and Texas reserves Dylan Osetkowski and Isaiah Hobbs who had left the bench area.

“I’ll have to watch the tape,” Weber said. “We don’t want to hurt anybody and Austin doesn’t want to hurt anybody. We had to be physical.”

Allen, who had been averaging a double-double in Big 12 play, finished with just four rebounds against the Wildcats.

LOVING LONG RANGE

The Wildcats and Longhorns made 13 of 17 3-point attempts in the first half and trading 11 over the final six minutes, including a stretch of five in a row. The Wildcats shot 76 percent in the first half overall, and didn’t have any offensive rebounds in the half.

The shooting cooled off sharply in the second half with just three 3-pointers after halftime.

UP NEXT

Kansas State plays Oklahoma State at home on Wednesday.

Texas travels to No. 9 West Virginia on Monday in search of its first road win of the season.

— Associated Press —

Northwest’s rally comes up short against Missouri Southern women

Posted on February 18, 2017

By David Boyce

JOPLIN Mo. – The wake-up call for the Northwest Missouri State women’s basketball team sounded in the third quarter Saturday afternoon at Leggett & Platt Athletic Center.

But with their eyes finally open, the Bearcats saw they trailed by 20 points against Missouri Southern. Northwest nearly made it all up before falling 71-70.

“I told them after the game that the second-half team is the team I want to coach,” Northwest coach Buck Scheel said. “The first half I don’t know where that came from. It was really disappointing to have to watch it and sit through it.

“My halftime talk to them was pretty short. There was nothing I was going to do for them to go out and make a change. It was all on their shoulders and they came out and competed and finally gave themselves a chance to win the game.”

It looked really bleak for Northwest when it trailed 41-21 in the third quarter. But at the darkest moment, the Bearcats found sunshine. A three-pointer by senior Jasmin Howe followed by a three-pointer from junior Tanya Meyer closed the gap to 44-29.

By the time the third quarter ended, Northwest trailed 47-35. The Bearcats continued their hot shooting to start the fourth quarter. A three-pointer by Meyer dropped the deficit to single-digits at 47-38.

A couple of minutes later, Meyer made two free throws to make it 51-45 with 7:45 left in the game. The Bearcats were back in the game with plenty of time left.

Unfortunately, Northwest gave up the next four points to fall behind by 10. Over the next four minutes, the deficit fluctuated between eight and 12 points.

“It was good to continue to fight back, but while we were making that run and cutting it down to six, you have to keep going,” Scheel said. “You can’t have breakdowns. You have to keep fighting.”

Trailing 64-52, the Bearcats made one more push that started with a three-pointer by Meyer and a layup by sophomore Arbrie Benson with 2:37 left. Meyer added a free throw 23 seconds later to close the gap to 64-58.

With 50 seconds left, Northwest pulled to within three at 65-62 on a driving layup by Howe.

More intrigue struck with 21 seconds left when junior Caitlin Sudduth hit a three-pointer which reduced the deficit to two at 67-65. Southern, though, hit just enough free throws in the final 19 seconds to secure the win. A three-pointer by Sudduth with .8 seconds left made it a one-point game.

Meyer finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds, Benson had 14 and Sudduth came off the bench and scored 12.

In the fast half, Northwest seemed sluggish for both quarters and went into halftime trailing 31-16.

The Bearcats made three field goals in the first quarter and scored eight points. They did the exact same thing in the second quarter. Northwest wound up going six for 23 from the field for 26.1 percent in the first half.

If Northwest could have shot the ball a little bit better, the Bearcats would have been much closer because Southern only shot 31.3 percent from the field.

“It was disappointing because we put in so much time preparing for games, not just us coaches, but the players,” Scheel said of the first half. “You do the weights, the practices, the scouts and then to go out and not play with effort, toughness or any pride, you are not giving yourself a chance to win or be in the ball game. That was probably the most disappointing part of that.”

— Northwest Athletics —

Johnson’s 15th double-double leads Missouri State past Drake

Posted on February 18, 2017

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Alize Johnson scored 23 points and grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds to lead Missouri State over Drake 76-73 on Saturday night to snap a four-game losing streak.

It was Johnson’s 15th double-double of the season. Dequon Miller added 16 points for Missouri State (16-13, 7-9 Missouri Valley). Graham Woodward and Reed Timmer scored 15 points apiece to lead Drake (7-21, 5-11).

Miller made a pair of free throws to give the Bears a 73-72 lead with 29 seconds left. Obediah Church blocked Billy Wampler’s layup and grabbed the rebound on Drake’s next possession. Jarred Dixon’s free throws stretched the Bears’ lead to 75-72.

De’Antae McMurray made a free throw and intentionally missed the second attempt to pull Drake to 75-73. Johnson grabbed the rebound and was immediately fouled with three seconds left, and made 1 of 2 free throws.

Following a Missouri State timeout, Woodward shot a deep 3-pointer but it hit the back of the rim at the buzzer.

— Associated Press —

Nebraska rallies to defeat Ohio State

Posted on February 18, 2017

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Mistakes and sloppy play by Ohio State allowed Nebraska to climb back into Saturday’s game in the final 25 seconds and escape with a win for the first time in eight trips to Columbus.

The Huskers pulled out a 58-57 victory in a sloppy game marked by lousy shooting and careless ball-handling by both sides.

The Buckeyes led 57-52 before Nebraska’s Jack McVeigh hit a 3-pointer from the corner with 25 seconds on the clock to cut the lead to two points.

An Ohio State turnover led to a Glynn Watson layup to tie the score with 12 seconds left. Watson was fouled on the shot, and his subsequent free throw put Nebraska ahead for the first time in the second half.

Ohio State had 7.8 seconds to set up for a shot and win it, but the play blew up, Jae’Sean Tate picked up his dribble and was forced to throw up an errant jump shot just before the buzzer.

Afterward, Ohio State coach Thad Matta, whose team assured him of the first losing league record of his coaching career, couldn’t quite find the words to explain how the Buckeyes blew it.

“Dumbfounded,” Matta said.

Tai Webster scored 17 points, Watson had 14 and McVeigh added 11 for the Huskers (12-14, 6-8 Big Ten), who won their second straight game, despite shooting only 38 percent. The Buckeyes were only a little bit better, hitting 41 percent of their shots, but they committed 18 turnovers leading to 23 Nebraska points.

Tate had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Marc Loving and Trevor Thompson each added 13 for Ohio State (15-13, 5-10 Big Ten). The Buckeyes lost their third straight and watched their hopes of making the NCAA Tournament as a bubble team all but evaporate.

“We’ve got to be smarter, we beat ourselves tonight,” Tate said. “We deserve it.”

The first half wasn’t pretty.

Ohio State led by 11 with 5 1/2 minutes left, but a 7-2 run allowed the Huskers to close it to 30-24 at the break. Nebraska shot a dismal 33 percent from the floor, including 2 for 9 from beyond the arc, and didn’t have a basket in the last 2:54 of the half. The Buckeyes could manage only a single foul shot in the last four minutes and had eight turnovers.

Ohio State went up by 11 early in the second half but Nebraska stayed around. The Buckeyes held a seven point lead with 3:37 left, but a 10-3 run by Nebraska tied it with Watson’s layup.

“I saw the lane and I thought I had the big man beat, and I just finished it,” Watson said.

BIG PICTURE

Nebraska: Gets some momentum and a reason to feel good in a season that has not been stellar.

Ohio State: Couldn’t rise to the occasion in a late-season home game when their backs were against the wall. Hopes for an NCAA bid all but disappear in a game the Buckeyes shouldn’t have lost.

UP NEXT

Nebraska: Plays at Michigan State on Thursday night.

Ohio State: Faces No. 11 Wisconsin at home Thursday night.

— Associated Press —

MWSU softball splits two games on day one of 8-State Classic

Posted on February 17, 2017February 17, 2017

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – The Missouri Western softball team (7-3) split two games on day one of the Arkansas Monticello 8-State Classic.

The Griffons got a late two-run home run from Katie Klosterman to defeat Minnesota State (5-1) in the first game, then gave up four late runs in a 6-3 loss to Illinois-Springfield (2-0) in the day one finale.

NOTABLES
– Morgan Rathmann tied the MWSU career stolen bases with her 82nd stolen base in the Minnesota State game. She also tied the MWSU single game record with three steals in the game

– Katie Klosterman’s two-run home run in the top of the seventh broke a 1-1 tie with Minnesota State and gave the Griffons the lead they needed to win

– The Griffons hit three home runs on the day – Klosterman’s and one each from Riley Wilson and Sydney Washington against Illinois-Springfield

– Missouri Western led Illinois-Springfield 2-0 after two innings then took a 3-2 lead on Washington’s homer in the third before giving up three in the fifth and one in the sixth

– Missouri Western batted .315 and slugged .519 on the day

– Griffon pitchers walked 12 and hit three batters on the day

TOP PERFORMERS
– Shelbie Atwell continued her torrid opening pace, going 4-for-6 at the plate with a double and an RBI. She is batting .500 on the season

– Washington was 4-for-8 with a double, a home run, a run and an RBI

– Rathmann was 3-for-6 with two runs scored and the three stolen bases in game one

– Barbara Billingsley improved to 4-1 on the season with the win over Minnesota State,

UP NEXT
Missouri Western takes on Upper Iowa (0-2) at 11 a.m., Saturday in Bentonville before facing Minnesota Duluth (1-1) at approximately 1 p.m.

— MWSU Athletics —

Bearcat baseball loses series opener to Oklahoma Christian

Posted on February 17, 2017February 17, 2017

The Northwest Missouri State University baseball team fell to Oklahoma Christian, 8-7, on Friday afternoon at Dobson Field in Edmond, Okla.

– Northwest falls to 6-2 on the year with the loss while the Eagles improve to 5-3.

– Ozzie Adams was 3-for-5 on the day with three RBIs and two doubles.

– Joseph Hietpas got the start and pitched 6.2 innings. He allowed just one run on four hits. He struck out five and walked four.

Key Northwest Statistics
– Northwest scored three runs in the second, one in the fourth, two in the fifth and one in the eighth. Oklahoma Christian had one run in the second and seven in the ninth.

– The Bearcats had seven runs on 14 hits while the Eagles had eight runs on 11 hits. Neither team committed an error.

– Garrett Fort was 3-for-5 with a double, a run scored, an RBI and a stolen base.

– Jay Hrdlicka went 2-for-3 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI. He also picked up his first stolen base of the season in the third inning.

– Kevin Handzlik was 2-for-4 with a run scored.

– Alixon Herrera was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored.

– Luke Hassman went 1-for-4 with a home run in the second.

– Logan Rycraft was 1-for-3 with a sacrifice bunt.

– Hietpas retired seven straight batters between the fifth and seventh innings. He worked a perfect half inning in the bottom of the sixth.

Key Northwest Innings
– Hassman led off the the top of the second with his first home run in a Bearcat uniform over the left field fence. After Hardlicka was hit by a pitch, Herrera singled to left to put two on with no outs. Rycraft laid down a sacrifice bunt to put runners on second and third. After a line out to center, Adams singled to left, driving in a pair of runs to make it 3-0 Northwest.

– With one out in the fourth, Fort hit a single to left and then proceeded to record his first stolen base of the season. Adams continued his hot streak and roped a double to left, scoring Fort to make it 4-1 Bearcats.

– Hrdlicka hit his second home run of the season in the fifth. With two down and Handzlik on first after he reached on a one-out single, Hrdlicka lifted a pitch over the right center wall to give Northwest a 6-1 lead.

– After a pair of strikeouts in the top of the eighth, Herrera singled to center and Rycraft followed it with an infield single to second. Fort doubled to right center, allowing Herrera to score from second, making it 7-1.

Up Next
– Northwest will face Oklahoma Christian on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. in the second game of the three-game series.

— Northwest Athletics —

Missouri baseball drops Bieser’s debut to Eastern Michigan

Posted on February 17, 2017February 17, 2017

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Mizzou Baseball dropped its season opener to Eastern Michigan, 6-2, on Friday night at City of Palms Park. Mizzou junior RHP Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) took the loss after going 5.2 innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on eight hits with nine strikeouts and two walks. Four of the five runs allowed by Houck came with two outs, one on a passed ball and three on two-out hits. Eastern Michigan’s Brent Mattson earned the win, going 5.0 innings, scattering seven hits with two runs (both earned).

Junior catcher Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) drove in Mizzou’s two runs with a two-out, two-run single in the first. Freshman second baseman Chris Cornelius (St. Louis, Mo.) tallied his first collegiate hits with a 3-for-5 performance, including a double in the first inning to set up Bond’s RBIs. In all, Mizzou left 12 men on base in the loss while the Eagles left just five, capitalizing nearly all night with runners on base.

Houck was the victim of an error and a passed ball in the first inning. He picked up his third strikeout of the inning following a throwing error that he made trying to hold a runner, but a passed ball allowed the run to score. Houck picked up the rare four-strikeout inning to get out of the frame, but trailed 1-0.

Sophomore Connor Brumfield (Columbia, Mo.) led off Mizzou’s half of the frame with a single up the middle and freshman 2B Chris Cornelius (St. Louis, Mo.) tallied his first career hit in the next at-bat, a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. After two outs, junior Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) laced a two-out, two-strike, two-run single through the left side to plate a pair of runs, giving Mizzou a 2-1 lead after one.

Eastern Michigan got to Houck in the third for two hits and a walk, resulting in the Eagles regaining a 3-2 lead. The Eagles used another big two-out hit in the fifth inning to extend the lead to 4-2. They again did the same thing to Houck in the sixth inning, extending the lead to 5-2. That chased Houck in favor of RS junior Cole Bartlett (Williamsburg, Ind.), who got Mizzou through six on the first pitch he threw.

The Eagles tacked on another sacrifice fly in the seventh to extend the lead as it continued to find holes while Mizzou continued to line out with runners on base. Bartlett was solid, allowing just two hits over 2.1 innings with three strikeouts, but he did allow a run. Junior RHP Nolan Gromacki (Smithville, Mo.) tossed a shutout ninth to give Mizzou a chance to rally in the bottom half of the frame. But nothing came of it as the Tigers fell, 6-2.

— Mizzou Athletics —