A tough away series awaits Missouri baseball this weekend as the Tigers’ travel to Kentucky Proud Park for a three-game set against No. 24 University of Kentucky. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT on Friday, followed by a 1 p.m. CT start Saturday and a noon CT finale Sunday. All three games will be streamed on SECN+.
Kentucky enters the series at 22-6 overall and 14-1 at home, while Missouri is 17-13 and 1-5 on the road. This series will set up an early April test for the Tigers, who are seeking
redemption after a sudden loss to their rivals, Kansas.
Pitching for the Tigers on Friday, April 3, will be Josh McDevitt, who is the Tigers’ most reliable pitcher, with a 3.93 ERA. McDevitt worked through three and a half innings against Texas A&M, on Friday, March 27, only allowing one run in.
Mizzou Batters to Look Out For This Series
Jase Woita, a Star
The most consistent hitter for the Tigers this season has been Jase Woita. He currently has a batting average of .354, with an elite OPS of 1.070 over 99 at bats. Woita has been a powerhouse for the team, with a 1.000 fielding percentage on top of his offensive play. During the first game against Auburn, Woita forced extra innings with his powerful single, keeping the game alive.
Tyler Macon
Tyler Macon is close behind with a .360 batting average. He has a .952 OPS in 89 at-bats and has been a reliable run producer with 25 RBIs. Much of Missouri’s success this season has come from his ability to generate offense with singles and doubles.
Macon extended his hitting streak to 10 games during the series against North Dakota State and went 2 for 4 in the opener.
Cameron Benson
Cameron Benson rounds it out for the Tigers in third, as a very reliable presence for the lineup. He is batting .318, with an OPS of .933. Benson drove in four runs in the first game of the UIC series.
Other Strong Offensive Notes
Kam Durnin has continuously hit it off for the Tigers’, batting .319 with back-to-back singles during the first game of the Tennessee series. Juliomar Campos has only had 17 at-bats, but hit his first collegiate home run against Kansas on Tuesday, March 31, and will have lots more to show for during the remainder of the season.
Pitching Remarks
Javyn Pimental has been the team’s most efficient pitcher, allowing few baserunners and keeping hitters in check. His ERA stands at 3.33, and last pitched during the opener against Auburn, where he shook the crowd by allowing no runs and only three hits over six innings.
Last but not least, Eli Skidmore has had 10 appearances this season, with his current ERA of 3.07 and a record of 2-0. Skidmore used just three pitches to get out of the eighth inning against Illinois, and will continue to shine this season.
KU Game Highlights
A long awaited home game for the Tigers’ slipped away in a sudden loss to in-state rival Kansas on Tuesday, March 31. Missouri struggled to bring about timely hits which allowed the Jayhawks to pull through for their victory.
The Tigers’ star player of the day was Macon, who went 2 for 4 with an RBI. Despite his efforts, Missouri was unable to bring runners home when needed most. On the mound was Pimental, who delivered a solid start and held Kansas to just three runs over six innings and struck out five batters.
Skidmore went to battle as a reliever, but the Jayhawks’ rallied during the eighth inning. This loss was Missouri’s fifth in a row, but the upcoming series against Kentucky will hopefully provide another chance for the Tigers’ to secure a victory once again.
Final Note
Missouri has not won in Lexington since April 28, 2018 so the Tigers’ will be looking to change that this weekend, while facing a top-25 team nationally in college baseball.
With one of the Tigers’ best pitchers set to be on the mound for game one, this will hopefully set the tone early as they head into the next two games of the series.
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