University of Missouri
Lincoln
Lincoln Upsets Mizzou, 4-2
2/22/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 22, 2000
COLUMBIA, MO. -- This wasn't the way it was supposed to be. On Tuesday, Missouri officially debuted its new 2,200-seat Taylor Stadium at Simmons Field against Lincoln University in what was to be a tune-up game for the start of Big 12 Conference play this weekend at Texas Tech.
But the Jefferson City-based Blue Tigers had other ideas. The NAIA school seized the opportunity and behind the heroics of designated hitter Noland Stueken and pitcher Nathan Witt, registered what might be the biggest upset victory in the school's history - a 4-2 win over the NCAA Division I Missouri Tigers.
Stueken hit a two-run home run in the first inning off of Mizzou starter Drew Endicott and homered again in the sixth inning. The senior now has three home runs on the season. The Blue Tigers (3-2) scratched across another run in the ninth inning when pinchhitter Randy Kesel blooped a single just over the head of MU first baseman Mike Rallo with the bases loaded.
Witt (1-0) went the distance for Lincoln. He threw 139 pitches and scattered seven Missouri hits, including a solo home run by Nick Wilfong that got MU on the board in the fifth inning. Witt struck out three and walked three.
Missouri closed to within 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Wes Fewell led off with a single to center field and went to second on a wild pitch. Landon Brandes singled to center to score Fewell and went to second on a throwing error by centerfielder Brandon Pemberton. Witt avoided further damage when he trapped Brandes off second base on a bunt by Jon Williams and got Rallo to bounce into a double play.
Jayce Tingler hit into another double play for Missouri in the eighth inning and the Tigers wasted a one-out single by Williams in the ninth.
Endicott (1-2) pitched six innings for MU and took the loss. Mitch Kiler and P.J. McGinnis followed him to the mound. The three Missouri hurlers recorded 13 strikeouts.
Missouri opens Big 12 Conference play on Friday at Texas Tech, when the Tigers play at Dan Law Field in Lubbock at 4 p.m. Single games Saturday and Sunday begin at 1 p.m.
