University of Missouri
William Woods
Tigers Debut New Stadium With 15-5 Win
2/15/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 15, 2000
COLUMBIA, MO -- It wasn't quite the way it was supposed to be, but the Missouri Tigers made the most of their first night at new Taylor Stadium at Simmons Field.
Rained out of a game at Pepperdine on Sunday, MU Coach Tim Jamieson added a game to the schedule on Monday, inviting nearby William Woods University to come to Columbia. The Tigers weren't due to open the new stadium until next week against Lincoln University. But ultimately, the need to play proved to be more important to the Tigers than having all of the construction work completed.
More than 500 persons were on hand for the game and they had to wait three innings for the Tigers to get untracked. Mizzou spotted the visiting Owls two first-inning runs on a home run by Steve Packingham. MU scratched across a run in the third, then erupted for seven runs in the fourth inning, one in the sixth, and six more in the seventh.
Ryan Pickett and Landon Brandes each hit their first home runs of the season for Mizzou, which managed just eight hits but benefited from 12 walks from Williams Woods pitchers.
Drew Endicott (1-0) picked up the victory for the Tigers, pitching two scoreless innings. He did not allow a hit, struck out four and walked just one. Jamieson used seven pitchers in the game to prep his staff for this weekend's trip to Louisiana.
The Tigers play in the Northwestern State Classic in Natchitoches, La. They'll play Nicholls State on Thursday, Arkansas-Little Rock on Friday, Northwestern State on Saturday and Centenary on Sunday. MU plays at home on Tues., Feb. 22, against Lincoln University. Game time is 3 p.m.
