University of Missouri
Bowling Green
Tigers Rally For 6-5 Victory
3/18/2000 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 18, 2000
COLUMBIA, MO -- Kurt Propst walked with the bases loaded in the eighth inning to give Missouri its first lead of the game and Ryan Stegall worked a perfect ninth inning to earn his sixth save of the season as the Tigers overcame a 4-0 deficit to win its fourth straight game, 6-5 over the Bowling Green Falcons, Saturday at Taylor Stadium at Simmons Field.
Bowling Green jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning, scoring four times on three hits off of Mizzou lefthander Matt Hobbs, who made his first start. Brad Simon's first hit of the season drove in two runs and a double to right center by Aric Christman plated Simon. The Falcons later squeezed home a run on a bunt by Kenny Burdine.
Drew Endicott came on in relief of Hobbs, and kept the Falcons at bay over three-and-two-thirds innings until the Tigers could measure Bowling Green starter Joe Cheney. MU finally got on the board in the fourth, scoring three unearned runs the final two on Jon Williams' second home run of the season.
The Tigers tied the score in the fifth when Jayce Tingler slapped a single to left field with two outs to drive in Wes Fewell, who had led off the inning with a base hit down the first-base line.
Bowling Green took a 5-4 lead in the seventh and could have had more. Christman opened the inning by reaching on Propst's error at third base. He was bunted to second and scored on a hit by Alan Gilhousen. Ralph McCasland came out of the bullpen to relieve Endicott and yielded a double to Sean Ryan that put runners at second and third with one out. He intentionally walked Scott Dukate, then retired Len Elias on a line drive to Stegall at shortstop and a fly ball to Tingler in left.
Mizzou tied it in the bottom of the seventh on a pinch-hit single by Mick Weiss that scored Fewell who led off the inning with his second hit of the day.
In the Missouri eighth, Stegall led off with a single to right field that extended his hitting streak to nine games and chased Cheney. Chad Curlis entered the game in relief and retired Nick Wilfong on a ground ball to third base that advanced Stegall to second. He was thrown out at the plate, though, by BGSU's Lee Morrison when Williams singled sharply to right field. Mike Rallo walked and Mike Muzi came into pitch for Curlis. He walked Fewell on four pitches, then walked Propst on a 3-2 count to force in the lead run.
Stegall went to the mound in the ninth and set down the Falcons on three ground balls.
McCasland picked up the victory to raise his record to 3-2. Stegall's sixth save of the season leaves him just three short of the Missouri school record of nine set by Jeff Cornell in 1978. Curlis (0-1) took the loss for Bowling Green.
Mizzou's fourth straight win raised the Tigers' record to 13-8. Bowling Green fell to 3-7-1. Missouri will go for the three-game series sweep at 12 p.m., Sunday at Taylor Stadium at Simmons Field.
