COLUMBIA, Mo. (Press Release) – Behind five shutout innings from Art Joven, Missouri secured the rubber match to take the series, 11-5, Sunday afternoon in Taylor Stadium.
With the win, Missouri improves to 25-12-1 overall and 7-7-1 in conference play while LSU drops to 24-13on the season and 9-6 in the SEC.
The Tigers will return to action Tuesday at 7 p.m. CT in the Wally Pontiff Jr. Classic at the Shrine on Airline in Metairie, Louisiana. The game will be televised by Cox Sports Television and can be heard on the LSU Sports Radio Network, including 98.1 FM in Baton Rouge.
Joven (3-0) earned the win after allowing two runs on three hits in 6.2 innings. The southpaw walked three and struckout six.
LSU starter Eric Walker (2-3) was charged with the loss after allowing six runs on eight hits, walked one and struck out three in four innings.
Missouri put up three runs in the bottom of the second inning when first baseman Tony Ortiz ripped a three-run blast to right field scoring designated hitter Peter Zimmermann and catcher Chad McDaniel, who hit back-to-back base hits to start the inning.
Right fielder Clayton Peterson led off the bottom of the third inning with a single to left field and advanced to third on a double by shortstop Chris Cornelius. Center fielder Kameron Misner hit a sac fly to center field, which allowed Peterson to score and gave Mizzou the 4-0 lead.
Back-to-back two run innings in the fourth and fifth extended Missouri’s lead to 8-0. In the fourth, third baseman Paul Gomez scored with one out on a sac bunt by C. Peterson, which allowed left fielder Alex Peterson to move to second. A. Peterson scored on an RBI double to right field by Cornelius. Back-to-back sacrifice fly balls by Ortiz and Gomez plated the two runs by Zimmermann and McDaniel in the fifth.
LSU led off the top of the sixth inning with singles by catcher Brock Mathis and shortstop Josh Smith. Mathis crossed home on a passed ball, and Smith advanced to third and scored on a ground ball by center fielder Giovanni DiGiacomo, cutting the Missouri lead to 8-2.
With one out second baseman Mark Vierling doubled and advanced to third on a single by Ortiz. The second baseman scored on a sacrifice fly to make it a 9-2 game.
LSU answered with three runs in the eight. With one out Smith and DiGiacomo hit consecutive singles and then moved to scoring position on a wild pitch. Right fielder Antoine Duplantis tripled to center field to bring in both runners before scoring on a two-out single by second baseman Brandt Broussard.
Missouri finalized the game at 11-5 in the eighth when Misner hit a two-run home run to right field, scorig C. Peterson, who singled to center field to lead off the inning.