Tigers Open Busy Week with Braggin’ Rights Matchup

COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri baseball (12-7, 1-5 SEC) heads to Sauget, Ill., to face rival Illinois (10-11) in the Braggin’ Rights rivalry on Tuesday, March 29, before returning home to host SIUE (10-11) on Wednesday.

The Tigers and Illini will meet at GCS Credit Union Ballpark, home of the Gateway Grizzlies, in a 6:05 p.m. first pitch on Tuesday night. The following night, Mizzou hosts SIUE at Taylor Stadium in a 6 p.m. start on the SEC Network.

Fans can also catch Mizzou baseball on the airwaves all season long on KTGR and the Tiger Radio Network. Tex Little and Matt Michaels will have the call.

TICKETS

Tickets for the Braggin’ Rights matchup in Sauget are available through the Gateway Grizzlies ticket office.

Single game tickets for Mizzou baseball home games begin at just $8 for adult general admission seats and $10 for reserved chairbacks. To purchase single-game tickets, visit MUTigers.com/Tickets.

SERIES BUSINESS

• Mizzou and Illinois meet for the 30th time on the diamond when Braggin’ Rights returns on Tuesday night. The series is deadlocked at 14-14-1 all-time.
• The Tigers have gotten the better of the Illini in neutral venues, posting an 8-4 mark.
• Tuesday marks the first meeting in Braggin’ Rights since the teams split a pair of matchups in 2017. Mizzou took a 7-6 win in Corpus Christi, Texas, before Illinois got a 5-3 win in Sauget.
• Each of the last four meetings have been decided by two runs or less.
• Mizzou leads the all-time series with SIUE 17-5 and has won four straight in the matchup.

DE SEDAS DELIVERING

• Veteran Nander De Sedas found his groove at the plate over the weekend with Arkansas, going 4-for-9 with a pair of doubles and three walks.
• On the season, De Sedas paces the Tiger regulars with a .355 average while slugging .613 with three doubles, a triple and a homer.
• The second baseman is reaching at a .465 clip with his nine walks while striking out just nine times.

PEÑA’S PRODUCTION

• Freshman Carlos Peña enters the week with a four-game hitting streak after recording a hit and RBI in all three games of the Tigers’ series vs. No. 3 Arkansas.
• Peña finished the weekend 5-for-13 (.385) with four RBI and a pair of runs scored.
• On the season, the rookie has 16 RBI which sit him second on the team. The 16 RBI are tied for the most by a Tiger freshman (Mark Vierling – 2018) since Kameron Misner and Chris Cornelius posted 34 and 31 in 2017, respectively.
• Peña is hitting .274 on the season with three doubles, a triple and two homers to slug .452.

SCOUTING THE ILLINI

• Illinois enters Braggin’ Rights at 10-11 overall on the season.
• The Illini are coming off a Big Ten series victory over Michigan State to open conference play.
• At the plate, five Illini regulars are hitting over .300 to start the season, led by Cam McDonald at .358 with 4 HR and 24 RBI.
• On the mound, Illinois owns a 5.46 ERA as a team while opponents hit .262 off the Illini arms.

SCOUTING THE COUGARS

• SIUE enters the week at 10-11 overall as well after being swept at SEMO to open OVC action last weekend.
• Josh Ohl leads SIUE at the plate with a .400 average to go along with 22 runs scored and six home runs.
• Brett Johnson hits .369 with nine homers and 23 RBI to lead the Cougars in long balls and runs driven in.
• SIUE has struggled on the mound, posting a 7.31 ERA as a team while opponents hit .287 off the Cougars.

FOLLOW THE TIGERS

For all the latest information on Mizzou Baseball, please visit MUTigers.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Tigers on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

-MUTigers.com-