University of Missouri
UNC-Wilmington
Tigers Take Rubber Game at UNC Wilmington
2/8/2003 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 8, 2003
WILMINGTON, N.C. - The University of Missouri baseball team won the rubber game of its season-opening three-game series at UNC Wilmington with a 6-3 victory on Saturday. A four-run fifth inning and exceptional pitching by junior righty Derek Roper (Elk City, Okla. / Elk City HS) and sophomore reliever Travis Wendte (Moore, Okla. / Moore HS) led the Tigers to their second victory of the season.
Junior SS Ian Kinsler (Tucson, Ariz. / Arizona State) and junior C Brad Flanders (Smithville, Mo. / Hutchinson CC) each went 3-for-4, and junior LF Lee Laskowski (Clayton, Mo. / Clayton HS) and RF Ryan Rallo (Chesterfield, Mo. / CBC) drove in two runs each.
The Tigers took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first on RBI singles by Laskowski and Rallo. Flanders led off the four-run fifth with a single and was followed by another single from freshman 3B Zane Taylor (Kirksville, Mo. / Kirksville HS). Kinsler then gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead by singling to right-center. Laskowski and Rallo both had sacrifice flies to break the game open.
"We're happy to take two-of-three," said Tiger head coach Tim Jamieson, whose squad pounded out 31 hits over the weekend. "We would have liked to take all three, but we are still trying to find out who we are and I'm very proud of this team."
Roper threw 5-2/3 innings, giving up seven hits, three runs and striking out six. "He gave us five innings of good work and we would have liked him to give us another third of an inning," said Tiger Jamieson, "but it's easier when you have Travis Wendte in your bullpen." Wendte worked the final 3-1/3, giving up only two hits and striking out three for his first save of the season.
The Tigers now run their record to 2-1, and will face Cal Poly next Thursday, Feb. 13 in Phoenix, Ariz. at 11 a.m. CST. All this season's Tiger baseball action can be heard throughout mid-Missouri on KTGR-AM 1580.
