University of Missouri
Texas A&M
Stegall Powers Missouri Past Texas A&M
5/12/2001 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 12, 2001
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- If Saturday's game was Ryan Stegall's last in a University of Missouri baseball uniform, he definitely made it a memorable one. Stegall pitched eight innings and added his 15th home run of the season as Missouri downed Texas A&M 8-5 in Big 12 Conference action at Taylor Stadium/Simmons Field.
Stegall, a junior from Liberty, Mo., could leave MU as a top draft choice this June's amateur major league baseball draft or he could return for his senior season and continue his assault on the Missouri record books.
Stegall did not allow a hit for five innings while making his third career start. He left the pitching mound after allowing seven hits in eight innings to go with a two-run home run in the seventh inning. Stegall improves to 4-0 with the win.
"If that's the way it (my career) ends, that's great. Hitting a home run in a last at bat is what everyone dreams about," said Stegall. "I was sitting on a slider, got it and hit it hard the opposite way."
Missouri scored a single run in the third and fifth innings before erupting for six runs in the seventh.
In the third inning, Tony Vitello was hit by a pitch, went to second base on a Luke Cassis sacrifice and scored when W.T. Hoover hit a two-out single to left field.
In the fifth, Missouri added a run. Wes Fewell led off the inning with a single and went to second base when Brian Desch was hit by a pitch. Vitello advanced the runners over with a sacrifice bunt before Hoover drove in Fewell with a sacrifice fly to right-center field.
Texas A&M plated three runs in the seventh inning to take a 3-2 lead. The Tigers answered with six runs. Lee Laskowski led off the frame with a double. Fewell singled before Desch was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Vitello walked to force in Laskowski and tie the game. Cassis singled to center to score Fewell and Desch. With two outs, Stegall homered to right field to make it 8-4 and extend his hit streak to 18 games.
Stegall is tied for fourth with 35 career home runs (Dave Silvestri (1986-88). Here are his rankings in the following career categories: third in extra-base hits (91), fourth in slugging percentage (.577), fifth in total bases (373) and tied for seventh in runs batted in (151). Stegall's 15 home runs this season tie him for ninth in MU's single-season chart with Jake Epstein (1998) and Chris Wyrick (1992).
Missouri closes the season at 31-24-1 and 11-19 in the Big 12. Texas A&M advances to the Big 12 Tournament at 30-26 overall and 15-15 in league play.
