Six-Run Seventh Helps @MizzouBaseball Punch Postseason Ticket

Saturday, May 19

Columbia, Mo.

2 p.m.

University of Missouri

34-21, 12-18

Tennessee

29-27, 12-18

Tennessee

Mizzou

Six-Run Seventh Helps @MizzouBaseball Punch Postseason Ticket

5/19/2018 6:53:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Harris, Berler come up big on their senior day at Taylor Stadium

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball punched its ticket to the SEC Tournament with an 8-3 victory over Tennessee Saturday afternoon on senior day at Taylor Stadium. Mizzou used a six-run seventh inning, complete with two home runs and a string of base hits, to break a 2-2 stalemate. All nine Tigers reached the plate in the frame, but a solo homer from Zach Hanna, a two-run double from senior 2B Matt Berler and a three-run shot from senior RF Trey Harris, were the big hits in the inning.

Junior RHP Nile Ball came into the game in relief in the sixth inning, and pitched a solid 4.0 relief innings, earning his second win of the season. He allowed just one Tennessee run, coming in the ninth inning with the game already in hand.

Mizzou will be the 12 seed at next week's SEC Tournament and has qualified for the conference tourney in five of six years since joining the league and both under head coach Steve Bieser. Mizzou finishes the regular season with a 33-21 record and a 12-18 mark in SEC play.

TURNING POINT

With the game tied 2-2 going into the seventh inning, the Mizzou offense came alive. It was a solo homerun by Junior Zach Hanna that kick-started the rally, his seventh of the season.

Freshman Chase McDaniel followed immediately with a base hit. A series of miscues by the Tennessee defense and a deep double by Berler put two more runs on the board. Then it was time of a senior day moment as Harris stepped to the plate. In his final career at-bat at Taylor Stadium, Harris broke the game open with a three-run shot into the bullpen in left, his team-leading 11^th this season.

TOP TIGERS

Junior RHP Nile Ball pitched 4.0 innings of relief against the Volunteers. This was his second-longest outing of the season, his longest being the 4.1 innings of relief he pitched against Kentucky on April 29. Ball shut down the Tennessee offense upon entering, allowing only a single run and three hits through four frames.
Senior Trey Harris was 2-for-4 at the plate, recording his team-leading 19^th multi-hit game of the season. His three-run blast was his 11^th of the season, also a team high. As one of six seniors recognized on senior day, Harris' homerun makes his last at-bat at Taylor Stadium a memorable one. His homer gives him 28 in his career, one shy of Mizzou's all-time top-10. He is now 10^th all-time in career RBI with 156, eighth in career at-bats at 763, and seventh with 37 career steals.
Junior LHP Tyler LaPlante completed 5.0 innings of work, allowing just four hits and striking out five Tennessee batters.
Junior 1B Brian Sharp hit his eighth homer of the season in the first inning. He has reached base safely in the last 16 games.
Senior Matt Berler went 2-for-3 from the plate, with two hits, two RBI and a walk, making his contribution on his senior night.
Freshman Chad McDaniel was 2-4 from the plate, logging his 8^th multi-hit game of the season.

QUOTING MIZZOU

Head Coach Steve Bieser
"I wouldn't say there was a never a doubt, but I'm just really proud of these guys. On senior day, all the emotions that start before the game and the guys being able to settle in and play a good ball game. It took us a little bit to get going. The other thing was seeing the seniors, and our offense, we know we've been struggling. I show up early all the time and 8:30 this morning, guys are in the cage getting extra work in. They really wanted this and they were rewarded for their work."

NOTES

With the victory, Mizzou solidifies their trip to the SEC Tournament.
Mizzou improves to 10-8 on Saturday's this season, and finalizes their record at Taylor Stadium at 22-8.
Mizzou holds a 12-6 advantage over Tennessee in the all-time series.

UP NEXT

For all the latest on Mizzou Baseball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter (@MizzouBaseball) and like the team on Facebook (Mizzou Baseball) and Instagram (missouri_baseball).