With windy conditions playing a noticeable role throughout the night, Mizzou fell to Arkansas, marking their eighth straight loss despite a strong outing from starting pitcher Josh McDevitt and an explosive start at the plate.
“We have to play better baseball,” head coach Kerrick Jackson said. “We can’t make some of the mistakes that we make, and then, more importantly, when they make mistakes, we have to be able to capitalize off of it. We don’t have to do anything over the top. We don’t have to be heroes.
We just have to play good baseball.”
Tee Off at Taylor night featured a giveaway golf hat, and the Tigers came out hot early.
Offense Struck Early
Jase Woita, batting leadoff for the second time this season, swung at a first-pitch strike and blasted a home run to left field. Kam Durnin followed with a hit-by-pitch, and freshman Blaize Ward continued his recent surge with a two-run shot to left, making it 3-0 Mizzou in just four pitches, and his third home run in five games.
On the mound, McDevitt started strong, working through early trouble in the first inning with bases loaded by recording two strikeouts to limit the damage. He settled in from there, adding two more strikeouts in the second and throwing a clean 1-2-3 third inning.
Arkansas began to respond as the game progressed. After being held mostly quiet, TJ Pompey launched his tenth home run of the season to right field in the fifth, cutting the lead to 3-1.
McDevitt continued to deal, tying his season-high in strikeouts during the fifth, before ultimately setting a new career high with 11 in the seventh inning. However, after he exited with two runners on, Trey Lawrence allowed a hit up the middle that tied the game 3-3.
Arkansas starter Hunter Dietz finished with eight strikeouts, allowing seven hits and three runs over seven innings.
Where it All Slipped Away
Momentum quickly shifted in the eighth when Zack Steward hit a two-run homer to right field, giving Arkansas a 5-3 lead, with the wind again playing a factor in balls traveling to the outfield.
Offensively, the Tigers cooled off after their fast start. Woita added a second hit, and Pierre Seals and Cameron Benson each contributed singles, but Mizzou struggled to string together runs late.
In the ninth, Ian Lohse delivered a scoreless inning to keep Mizzou within reach, which was the first time for him since February.
Mateo Serna walked and later scored on a groundout by Donovan Jordon, who pinch hit for Keegan Knutson, cutting the deficit to 5-4. However, Tyler Macon who pinch hit for Isaiah Frost, struck out to end the game.
What’s Next
Mizzou will look to bounce back in their next matchup against Arkansas at 7 p.m. Friday, April 23, hoping to snap their losing streak.
“I still firmly believe that this team hasn’t synced up,” Woita said. “Our best baseball when the staff’s been on, the hitters have been off, vice versa, so I firmly believe that we can hang with anybody in the country when we’re playing our best baseball. I’m just excited for the chance to go out and do that again.”
With Brady Kehlenbrink taking the mound tomorrow, it will be a game worth watching.
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