SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A three-run ninth inning led Missouri State to a stunning 3-2 win over Missouri baseball on Tuesday night at Hammons Field.
The Tigers (22-16) surrendered just two hits through the first eight innings of the game but stumbled in the ninth as the Bears (18-18) used three hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch to score three times to stun Mizzou.
Torin Montgomery produced all the offense for the Tigers, launching a two-run homer in the sixth inning to put Mizzou in front. On the mound, five Tigers combined to shutout the Bears through the first eight innings of the game, but an overturned call at first sparked Missouri State in the ninth.
Ian Lohse (1-2) took the loss for the Tigers, allowing all three runs in the ninth.
IMPACT INNING
A leadoff walk spelled trouble for the Tigers in the bottom of the ninth. Lohse bounced back with a strikeout and what appeared to be a groundout, but the umpires overturned a bang-bang play after review to put two aboard with one out. Another strikeout followed to give the Tigers two outs in the inning before a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases.
Jaden Rolffs laced the first pitch he saw into right center for a two-run single to tie the game at 2-2. Hayden Moore followed with what seemed to be a routine fly ball to left field, but the Tiger left fielder slipped on the turn to track down the ball as the Bears walked off with the win.
TOP TIGERS
Carter Rustad: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Torin Montgomery: 1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI
IN THE NOTES
- Luke Mann picked up his fifth stolen base of the season.
- Trevor Austin extended his hitting streak to nine games with an eighth-inning infield single.
- The loss was Mizzou’s first when leading after eight innings this season.
- Montgomery’s homer pushed the first baseman’s hitting streak to five games.
FROM THE SKIP
Coach Bieser on the loss…
“Just a tough loss right there. We pitched well enough to win this game and we just didn’t pitch very well in the last inning. We gave a free pass to start that inning off and when you’ve got a 2-0 lead, you can’t give those free passes up.”
UP NEXT
Mizzou returns home to host Mississippi State in a three-game SEC series beginning Friday, April 29, at Taylor Stadium.
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