University of Missouri
Northern Iowa
Flanders' Home Runs Spark Tiger Win
2/23/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 23, 2003
MONROE, La. - The Louisiana sun heated up Sunday, and so did the Missouri baseball team's bats. The Tigers crushed a season-high 17 hits en route to an 11-4 win over Northern Iowa at the University of Louisiana-Monroe's Holiday Inn/Citgo Classic.
Missouri (4-4) was led by the bats of junior catcher Brad Flanders (Smithville, Mo.) and junior right fielder Kyle Johnson (Omaha, Neb.). Flanders hit consecutive home runs to left field in the fifth and seventh innings, while Johnson became the second Tiger in as many days to hit two triples in a game.
The Tigers' pitching staff also turned in a strong performance, as Derek Roper (Elk City, Okla.) and Matthew Stallings (Dallas, Texas) combined to strike out 13 batters without allowing a walk. Roper made his second start of the season for the Tigers, allowing four runs of five hits in 5.1 innings of work. The junior struck out seven UNI batters, a career high. Stallings (1-0) picked up the win by allowing just two hits in 3.2 innings. The freshman recorded six strikeouts, also a career high.
MU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Junior shortstop Ian Kinsler (Tucson, Ariz.) walked, and then came around to score on Flanders' RBI single.
The Tigers opened a three-run lead in the fifth inning when Flanders launched the first home run of his MU career over the left field wall, scoring Kinsler and making the score 4-1.
The Panthers tied the game in the sixth, scoring three runs on as many hits. Roper gave up doubles to left fielder Adam Boeve and LaCoste before Stallings closed out the inning.
Missouri responded with three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Johnson tripled and scored, capping off an impressive two-game stretch for the junior. Johnson was 4-5 with four runs scored in the Tigers' two wins in Monroe.
MU added insurance to a 6-4 lead with a five-run seventh inning. Flanders opened the frame with his second homer of the day, and the first seven batters of the inning reached base for MU. Davis singled two runs in, and senior Jayce Tingler (Smithville, Mo.) added an RBI single in the frame.
The Tigers return to Columbia for their home opener against Central Methodist at 4 p.m. Tuesday. The game will be the first of an 11-game, 13-day home stand.
