KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - Jack Klages (St. Louis, Mo.) and Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.) each picked up three-run hits in a six-run fifth inning as No. 23 Mizzou rallied to defeat Tennessee, 8-3, on Friday night (April 10) at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. The win evens the series with the Volunteers and moves Mizzou to 23-12 on the year and 9-5 in SEC play. Reining SEC Pitcher of the Week Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) earned his sixth win of the season as he is now 6-1 in nine starts this season. The win snaps a three-game winning streak for the Vols, who fall to 15-15 and 5-9 in SEC play.
After Tennessee took a 2-0 lead with a single run in both the first and second innings, Klages ripped a bases-loaded double off the wall in right center to give Mizzou a 3-2 lead. Ring then launched his second career homer after a Brett Peel (St. Charles, Mo.) single to give Mizzou a 6-2 lead. In all, the Tigers scored six runs on six hits in the frame. The Tigers added a run in the sixth and ninth innings and Breckin Williams (Oronogo, Mo.) earned his eighth save of the season.
Mizzou got multi-hit performances from Klages, Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) and Zach Lavy(Auxvasse, Mo.) and the Tigers as a team pounded five extra-base hits (four doubles and a homer). Two came from Klages as both his hits went for a double.
The Vols took an early lead after a Nick Senzel leadoff triple that Logan Pearson (Bentonville, Ark.) nearly caught but lost the handle of as he crashed into the wall in right field. Senzel then scored on a groundout to short by A.J. Simcox. A no-out double by Jared Pruett in the second plated Derek Lance and Tennessee appeared to be in business against Houck.
But he settled in and the offense gave him support in the top of the fifth inning, highlighted by a pair of three-run hits by both Klages and Ring. With the bases loaded, Klages lifted a 1-1 pitch off the wall in right center, just missing a grand slam, for a bases-clearing three-run double, giving Mizzou a 3-2 lead. Brett Peel (St. Charles, Mo.) then singled to keep the rally alive and Ring lifted his second collegiate homer over the wall in right center to stake the Tigers to a 6-2 lead.
Mizzou added another run in the sixth inning as Zach Lavy (Auxvasses, Mo.) drew a walk and scored on a pair of wild pitches by reliever Hunter Martin. Tennesse got a run back in the bottom of the sixth butAndrew Schwaab (St. Charles, Mo.) did a nice job of pitching out of a jam, as Mizzou took a 7-3 lead into the seventh.
Schwaab pitched out of a jam again in the seventh and got into more trouble in the eighth, putting two men on with one out. That gave way to Williams who shut down the Vols over the final 1.2 innings. Howard added insurance with an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning.
The rubber game of the series will be Saturday at 11 a.m. (CT). on SEC Network with Mike Morgan and Chris Burke on the call. For all the latest on Mizzou baseball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MizzouBaseball.
After Tennessee took a 2-0 lead with a single run in both the first and second innings, Klages ripped a bases-loaded double off the wall in right center to give Mizzou a 3-2 lead. Ring then launched his second career homer after a Brett Peel (St. Charles, Mo.) single to give Mizzou a 6-2 lead. In all, the Tigers scored six runs on six hits in the frame. The Tigers added a run in the sixth and ninth innings and Breckin Williams (Oronogo, Mo.) earned his eighth save of the season.
Mizzou got multi-hit performances from Klages, Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) and Zach Lavy(Auxvasse, Mo.) and the Tigers as a team pounded five extra-base hits (four doubles and a homer). Two came from Klages as both his hits went for a double.
The Vols took an early lead after a Nick Senzel leadoff triple that Logan Pearson (Bentonville, Ark.) nearly caught but lost the handle of as he crashed into the wall in right field. Senzel then scored on a groundout to short by A.J. Simcox. A no-out double by Jared Pruett in the second plated Derek Lance and Tennessee appeared to be in business against Houck.
But he settled in and the offense gave him support in the top of the fifth inning, highlighted by a pair of three-run hits by both Klages and Ring. With the bases loaded, Klages lifted a 1-1 pitch off the wall in right center, just missing a grand slam, for a bases-clearing three-run double, giving Mizzou a 3-2 lead. Brett Peel (St. Charles, Mo.) then singled to keep the rally alive and Ring lifted his second collegiate homer over the wall in right center to stake the Tigers to a 6-2 lead.
Mizzou added another run in the sixth inning as Zach Lavy (Auxvasses, Mo.) drew a walk and scored on a pair of wild pitches by reliever Hunter Martin. Tennesse got a run back in the bottom of the sixth butAndrew Schwaab (St. Charles, Mo.) did a nice job of pitching out of a jam, as Mizzou took a 7-3 lead into the seventh.
Schwaab pitched out of a jam again in the seventh and got into more trouble in the eighth, putting two men on with one out. That gave way to Williams who shut down the Vols over the final 1.2 innings. Howard added insurance with an RBI single in the top of the ninth inning.
The rubber game of the series will be Saturday at 11 a.m. (CT). on SEC Network with Mike Morgan and Chris Burke on the call. For all the latest on Mizzou baseball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MizzouBaseball.
