No. 22 LSU quieted Missouri baseball’s offense in a 5-3 victory Thursday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Ma’Khail Hilliard pitched a gem, permitting two runs on seven hits in a career-high seven innings.
Whereas Missouri’s offense was struggling, Spencer Miles discovered blended success pitching. Miles was good for a lot of the recreation, however he was haunted by one man.
Within the first inning, Miles rapidly bought two outs trying to make it three, however Jacob Berry had different plans. The sophomore infielder hit a solo dwelling run placing LSU up. He adopted up with a second solo shot within the backside of the third — once more with two outs. He bought on base for the third time in a row and got here dwelling to attain on a single from Tre’ Morgan.
A 3-run fifth inning was all LSU wanted to place Missouri away. Regardless of discovering some success getting on base, Missouri couldn’t push throughout sufficient runs, scoring simply 3 times on 9 hits.
The realm the place Missouri struggled essentially the most was the underside of its lineup. Ty Wilmsmeyer and Ross Lovich, Missouri’s eight and nine-hole hitters, mixed to go 0-for-8. Missouri’s lead-off man Josh Day had an uncharacteristically unhealthy day, going 0-for-4.
Regardless of its struggles, Missouri discovered itself nonetheless within the recreation due to an excellent outing from Carter Rustad. Rustad was the hero in Missouri’s series-clinching recreation over Kentucky on Sunday. On Thursday evening, he got here into the sport with two runners on base.
Needing one out, Rustad popped up Berry to finish the inning. It was the primary time Berry failed to achieve base safely. Rustad pitched 2⅓ scoreless innings, hanging out three batters.
Within the eighth inning, Missouri had one ultimate likelihood to make a comeback however let it slip away. Torin Montgomery hit an RBI single to chop LSU’s result in two. Fox Leum then bought hit by a pitch placing two runners on with two outs. Bieser elected to pinch-hit Tre Morris for Mike Coletta, and LSU responded by bringing in its third pitcher of the inning. Morris grounded out, ending the scoring risk.
Thursday evening’s loss marked seven straight SEC highway losses for Missouri. The loss implies that by Missouri’s six SEC collection, MU is but to win a gap recreation.