When Tanner Houck departed Missouri after being drafted last year, it was clear who the next man up would be.
Among coaches, players, fans and all. Bryce Montes de Oca would get his opportunity to be the frontline starter for the Tigers, and you could see the potential in his 61 strikeouts in 2017 and in his 6-7, 261-pound frame.
On Friday night against UMBC, Montes de Oca displayed that potential to the highest caliber. He dealt through seven innings, striking out 12, walking only two and allowing no hits in Mizzou's 7-1 victory. He could have gone further, as he was dominating through innings 1-7, but his lofty 98 pitch count ultimately prevented that from happening.
Though Montes de Oca doesn't get all the credit, the Tigers threw their first no-hitter since 2005 — a game three-time Cy Young award winner Max Scherzer started — and their tenth of all time. Giovanni Lopez handled the eighth, where he walked a batter who came around to score thanks to a wild pitch and a RBI groundout by Mitchell Carrol. Nolan Gromacki finished it off by pitching a clean ninth with two K's.
Montes de Oca has improved in every start thus far. Despite allowing no runs, he walked seven batters in a shaky debut against FIU. The next Friday against Northeastern, he dialed it up a notch, striking out eight and allowing a run over six innings.
But against the Retrievers, Montes de Oca was unstoppable. There's no pitch-speed display at Taylor Stadium, but according to the Mizzou Baseball twitter account, he was sitting 95-98 mph. The way the Retrievers were swinging late on just about every fastball backs it up. His off-speed stuff was working just as well, as the UMBC hitters swung at pitches out of the zone all night.
Mizzou's offense was up to the task yet again, posting at least seven runs for the third straight game. They've achieved that mark in eight out of its 11 games played.
Brian Sharp has shown no signs of slowing down: he went 3-4 with a double and three RBI. His batting average sits at .545, which shouldn't be possible with 33 at bats.
Kameron Misner also went 3-4 and accomplished 3/4 of the cycle. He clobbered a home run to right field in the 3rd — his team-leading third of the year — and added a triple and double.
Michael Plassmeyer will be on the mound for the third time tomorrow against UMBC at 2 p.m.
Among coaches, players, fans and all. Bryce Montes de Oca would get his opportunity to be the frontline starter for the Tigers, and you could see the potential in his 61 strikeouts in 2017 and in his 6-7, 261-pound frame.
On Friday night against UMBC, Montes de Oca displayed that potential to the highest caliber. He dealt through seven innings, striking out 12, walking only two and allowing no hits in Mizzou's 7-1 victory. He could have gone further, as he was dominating through innings 1-7, but his lofty 98 pitch count ultimately prevented that from happening.
Though Montes de Oca doesn't get all the credit, the Tigers threw their first no-hitter since 2005 — a game three-time Cy Young award winner Max Scherzer started — and their tenth of all time. Giovanni Lopez handled the eighth, where he walked a batter who came around to score thanks to a wild pitch and a RBI groundout by Mitchell Carrol. Nolan Gromacki finished it off by pitching a clean ninth with two K's.
Montes de Oca has improved in every start thus far. Despite allowing no runs, he walked seven batters in a shaky debut against FIU. The next Friday against Northeastern, he dialed it up a notch, striking out eight and allowing a run over six innings.
But against the Retrievers, Montes de Oca was unstoppable. There's no pitch-speed display at Taylor Stadium, but according to the Mizzou Baseball twitter account, he was sitting 95-98 mph. The way the Retrievers were swinging late on just about every fastball backs it up. His off-speed stuff was working just as well, as the UMBC hitters swung at pitches out of the zone all night.
Mizzou's offense was up to the task yet again, posting at least seven runs for the third straight game. They've achieved that mark in eight out of its 11 games played.
Brian Sharp has shown no signs of slowing down: he went 3-4 with a double and three RBI. His batting average sits at .545, which shouldn't be possible with 33 at bats.
Kameron Misner also went 3-4 and accomplished 3/4 of the cycle. He clobbered a home run to right field in the 3rd — his team-leading third of the year — and added a triple and double.
Michael Plassmeyer will be on the mound for the third time tomorrow against UMBC at 2 p.m.
