PowerMizzou – Tigers rally from slow start, win series over Kentucky

Missouri got here into this weekend’s three-game set in opposition to Kentucky determined for a sequence win. After a 15-6 loss on Thursday, issues didn’t look nice for the Tigers. However they responded with back-to-back wins on Friday and Saturday to take the sequence.

“The group knew after we went into immediately’s recreation that we would have liked to win the sequence,” head coach Steve Bieser stated. “There was no different factor on our thoughts than attempting to win the sequence.”

Like within the sequence as a complete, Missouri needed to dig out of an early gap in Saturday’s rubber match. The Tigers rapidly fell behind 6-0 gap after two innings. However a giant third inning swung the momentum for Mizzou because it tacked on eight runs earlier than ultimately profitable 10-6. Whereas the bats received sizzling, Carter Rustad took the mound within the fourth inning and allowed zero runs by 4 ⅔ innings.

“Dropping down six to nothing was actually difficult for our workforce,” Bieser stated. “However you possibly can really feel that there wasn’t any stop within the dugout.”

Austin Marozas began for Missouri and the Wildcats had been on him from the primary pitch. Kentucky racked up a few hits and scored one run within the first inning earlier than an offensive explosion of 5 runs within the second inning. Marozas was extra composed within the third inning, when he allowed zero runs.

Within the backside of the inning, the Tigers flipped the script and compelled the Wildcats to endure a grueling inning. The Tigers 8-run inning was fueled by 2-RBI singles from Luke Mann, Torin Montgomery, and Ross Lovich. Missouri went by its whole lineup whereas racking up runs with ease.

After massive frames from every workforce within the first three innings, the bats cooled off and no runs had been scored till the underside of the seventh. An error at third base and one other RBI single from Lovich pushed the rating to 10-6, and that rating would maintain for the remainder of the sport.

“The underside half of our lineup can do so much,” Lovich stated. “We’re placing in good [at-bats] and doing all the pieces we are able to and getting on base so the highest of the order can drive us in.”

Rustad performed a pivotal position within the win for Missouri. Kentucky seemed to be primed for a giant offensive day earlier than he shut them down and allowed the Tigers to achieve the lead. The Wildcats threatened within the high of the seventh after they loaded the bases with two outs, however Rustad calmly struck out the ultimate batter to guard the lead.

“I used to be simply attempting to remain the course, keep by the zone,” Rustad stated. “I stored doing what I wished to do and it labored out.”

Missouri strikes to 5-10 in SEC play and now holds a possible tiebreaker over Kentucky and South Carolina within the crowded race for an SEC Match berth. The Tigers will look to hold this momentum into their mid-week matchup with Missouri State on Tuesday earlier than heading to Baton Rouge for a weekend sequence in opposition to LSU.