University of Missouri
Portland
Tigers Impressive in 13-0 Victory Over Portland
2/14/2004 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 14, 2004
PHOENIX, Ariz.-- - Mizzou moved to 2-0 on the young season after recording a 13-0 win over Portland on Saturday at the Oakland A's Spring Training Tournament in Phoenix, Ariz.
Junior RHP Erik Dessau, on the mound for the first time for Mizzou after transferring from Forest Park Community College this season, pitched six scoreless innings, allowing six hits. Senior RHP Mark Alexander came on in relief and pitched three innings, allowing just one hit and striking out five.
After three scoreless innings, Missouri put two runs on the board in the fourth inning when freshman LF Hunter Mense, in his first collegiate game, connected for a two-run triple down the right field line. Mense, who also had a double in the second inning, finished the day 2-for-3.
The Tigers added four more runs in the next inning, expanding its lead to 6-0. Sophomore 2B Trevor Helms scored the first run of the inning when senior DH Ryan Rallo, who had the game-winning RBI in Friday night's win over Nevada, picked up another RBI with a triple to left field. Rallo would then score on a sacrifice fly off the bat of sophomore SS Zane Taylor. Later in the inning, senior C Brad Flanders doubled over the head of the centerfielder,driving in two runs.
Mizzou put the game away with a six-run eighth inning as the Tigers sent 12 batters to the plate in the inning. In the inning, sophomore CF Tyler Williams, senior 1B Cody Ehlers and senior 3B Jeremy Hernandez all had RBI singles. Williams' and Ehlers' hits each drove in two.
Missouri added a run in the ninth for the final margin of 13-0.
Hernandez was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and one RBI to lead the Tigers, who recorded 16 hits. Williams, Taylor and Mense all had two hits in the game.
Portland advanced runners to third base five times during the game, but each time the Tigers' defense were able to get out of the inning without allowing a Pilot runner to cross the plate.
The shutout is the first for MU since the "Wood Bat Classic" against Saint Louis on April 29, 2003. In that game, Mizzou defeated SLU 9-0.
The Tigers will conclude play at the Oakland A's Spring Training Tournament in Phoenix at 9 a.m. on Sunday with a rematch with Portland. MU was scheduled to face Northwestern on Sunday, but due to a schedule conflict the match up has changed. Sunday's game, along with all of the Tigers' games this season can be heard on the ZRG Radio Network (KTGR 1580 AM in Columbia). The broadcast with Tex Little and Luke Cassis can be heard online at www.ktgr.com.
