Triple Play Preserves Mizzou's 1-0 Win Over Purdue

Sunday, February 22

Corpus Christi, Texas

11:00 AM

University of Missouri

7-1

Purdue

3-4

Mizzou

Purdue

2/22/2015 12:00:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Mizzou baseball turned a bases-loaded, 5-2-3-2 triple play in the bottom of the sixth inning to preserve a 1-0 win over Purdue in the team's final game of the Kleberg Bank College Classic on Sunday afternoon (Feb. 22) at Whataburger Field. The win improves Mizzou to 7-1 on the year as the team is off to its best start since 2004. Junior Alec Rash (Adel, Iowa) picked up his second win of the season while Breckin Williams (Oronogo, Mo.) earned his SEC-leading fourth save and second in as many days. Sophomore Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) drove in the game-winning run on an RBI single in the third inning.

"I am really happy and proud of our guys - the way that they competed all four games - we had a chance to win all four games. Really pleased with the effort," head coach Tim Jamieson said on KTGR following the game. "We know we are going to get better offensively. If we can just maintain what we are doing on the mound and defensively."

Mizzou now has three one-run victories this season after tallying just five a season ago. Pitching continues to be the story as Sunday's win was Mizzou's third shutout of the season and second of the weekend. The Tigers also now own a pair of 1-0 victories on the season as well. Over the four games at the Kleberg Bank College Classic this weekend, Mizzou allowed just four runs and just one over the final three games. The Tigers have allowed an SEC-low five extra-base hits this season.

Mizzou got on the board in the third inning on a two-out single by Howard, scoring Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.) from second base as Rash was given a 1-0 lead. Rash came back out in the bottom of the third and turned in his first 1-2-3 inning after the offense spotted him a run.

Rash continued to dominate back on the hill as he retired eight in a row before a two-out walk in the fourth, but he worked around that and did not allow a Purdue hit through five innings. He then got into trouble in the sixth. After getting to a 1-2 count on Michael Vilardo, he hit the Purdue two-hole hitter. Then Kyle Johnson singled, putting runners on the corners with no outs, ending Rash's day in favor of Andrew Schwaab.

Scwaab hit the first batter he faced, loading the bases and setting up one of the rarest plays in baseball. With catcher and cleanup hitter Justin Gubser up, Schwaab got him to hit a grounder to third base. Josh Lester (Columbus, Ga.) came home with the throw for an out and Jack Klages (St. Louis, Mo.) promptly threw to first for out No. 2. Purdue then sent the runner on the throw to first and Zach Lavy (Auxvasse, Mo.) fired a strong throw to the plate to gun the runner, completing the bases-loaded 5-2-3-2 triple play.

"The timing couldn't have been any better," Jamieson said of the triple play on KTGR. "Obviously we were struggling to score runs, so it was huge to get out of that situation."

Mizzou then pitched out of another jam in the bottom of the seventh inning. Schwaab walked the leadoff batter in the inning and then hit the next batter to put two Boilermakers on base. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third and that brought in Austin Tribby (Springfield, Mo.) who got a flyout to left and a slow roller to first to end the threat. Tribby then pitched a perfect eighth inning, making way for Williams in the ninth.

Williams pitched a perfect ninth to clinch his fourth save of the season, an SEC-best. In his five appearances, Williams has allowed just one baserunner while striking out six over 5.1 innings this season.

For all the latest on Mizzou baseball, stay tuned to MUTIgers