University of Missouri
Northwestern State
Tigers Split Doubleheader at Holiday Inn/Citgo Classic
2/24/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 24, 2003
Monroe, La. - Jayce Tingler (Smithville, Mo.) drove in five runs in the final two innings and Brad Flanders (Smithville, Mo.) hit four doubles as the Missouri Tiger baseball team split a doubleheader at the Holiday Inn/Citgo Classic in Monroe, La.
Missouri dropped the first game 8-4 to Northwestern State University, then rallied from a 8-4 deficit to defeat the University of Louisiana-Monroe, 13-10, in game two.
Northwestern State wasted little time before jumping on the scoreboard in the first game. A two-run homer by Alonzo Soliz capped a three-run second for the Demons.
Missouri tried to answer in the top of the second. Flanders doubled to start the inning, then scored on an RBI single by sophomore designated hitter Bo Davis (Tulsa, Okla.). Davis would come around to score on Tingler's RBI single.
After the Demons added another run in the bottom of the second, the starting pitchers settled in. Justin James (Yukon, Okla.) recorded four consecutive shutout innings of work in the third through the sixth. Over the stretch, the sophomore allowed only three hits and struck out three.
Northwestern State's Casey Johnson held the Tigers scoreless for five straight innings. Missouri scattered four hits during the stretch.
The Demons scored three in the bottom of the seventh, including a two-out, two-run homer by Anatole Vincent off of junior Andy Shipman (Lompoc, Calif.).
Trailing 7-2, the Tigers mounted a rally in the eighth. Ryan Rallo (Chesterfield, Mo.) led off the inning with a single off Demons' reliever Cory Keener. Keener then walked junior Jeremy Hernandez (Aptos, Calif.) and hit Flanders to load the bases before recording an out. Davis hit a sharp single up the middle off Zach Sanches to score two for the Tigers, who left two on base in the frame and 10 total in the game.
In the second game Saturday, it was Missouri's turn to jump out to an early 3-0 lead over the host Louisiana-Monroe Indians.
Freshmen designated hitter James Boone (Clinton, Okla.) and third baseman Zane Taylor (Kirksville, Mo.) each hit RBI singles to cap a three-run top of the second.
Trailing 4-1, the Indians made their move in the bottom of the fifth. Second baseman Jack Skaggs hit 2-2 in the inning with a double, triple and 3 RBIs, part of a 7-run, 11-batter inning for Louisiana-Monroe. Skaggs' triple landed inches inside the right-field foul line, plating three runs for the Indians, who took an 8-4 lead.
Again in the second game, the Tigers rallied in the eighth. A one-out hit by right fielder Kyle Johnson (Omaha, Neb.) and back-to-back walks to junior Ryan Rallo (Chesterfield, Mo.) and Boone loaded the bases for Missouri. With two outs, Jayce Tingler ripped a 2-2 pitch into the right field corner for a bases-clearing triple, pulling the Tigers within one.
Missouri then loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth. Johnson drove home the tying run with a single, and then Rallo's groundout gave Missouri a 9-8 advantage. The Tigers exploded for six runs in the ninth, with Taylor and Tingler each driving in two during the frame.
Junior college transfer Danny Hill (Weimer, Texas) made his MU debut in relief, pitching 2.2 strong innings to pick up the first win of his Tiger career.
The Tigers return to action at 11 a.m. Sunday, as they face the University of Northern Iowa in MU's third game at the Holiday Inn/Citgo Classic.
