May 17, 1999
MISSOURI AT THE BIG 12 TOURNEY
The Missouri Tigers (35-17, 14-13) have qualified forthe Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City for the third straight season and are appearing in their fourth straight postseason tournament under fifth year Head Coach Tim Jamieson. The Tigers enter the tournament as the No. 7 seed and will face the No. 2 seed Baylor Bears at (44-11, 21-6) at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday night.
Last year, Missouri entered the tournament as the No. 5 seed. In game one, the Tigers dropped a 7-3 decision to Baylor. Missouri was eliminated in the next round by Oklahoma State in an 11-8 affair.
In 1997, Missouri entered the tournament as the No. 6 seed. In game one, the top seed Texas Tech defeated Mizzou by a score of 12-2. In the elimination game, the Tigers bounced back to edge Baylor by a score of 9-8. The eventual champions, Oklahoma, ended the MU run with a 16-7 victory.
MISSOURI NEEDS TO PERFORM FOR NCAA TOURNAMENT BID
The Missouri Tigers know that they will have to put on a good showing this week in Oklahoma City to have any shot at an at-large bid to the 1999 NCAA Tournament. The Tigers chances have been enhanced with the expansion to 64 teams, but luck has not been on Missouri's side as of late. Despite winning 21 of its last 25 games, Missouri has had three non-conference Division I games washed away by Mother Nature in the last three weeks. Rain washed out games vs. Southwest Missouri State, Southeast Missouri State and Northern Iowa.
The Tigers have put together several quality victories this season. Missouri has defeated each of the top three seeds: Texas A&M, Baylor and Texas Tech. The Tigers defeated Nebraska twice in Lincoln. Missouri has also defeated Notre Dame in a round-robin in New Orleans and has a win over Southwest Missouri State in Springfield.
MISSOURI TO BUILD NEW STADIUM FOR 2000 SEASON
Pending approval from the University of Missouri's Board of Curators, construction of a new baseball facility will begin on June 6 following the Missouri State High School baseball championships. Ground-breaking ceremonies took place this past Friday night at Simmons Field.
A new 2,500 seat stadium with 600 chair-back seats will be constructed around the existing playing field. The new brick and iron stadium will consist of a new press box with radio booths, a game operations room, a media workroom as well as a suite for alumni. New dugouts will be constructed connected a team room. Coaches offices are still pending. A new scoreboard and sound system will also adorn the new stadium. The stadium entrance will have a permanent ticket booth.
The new stadium project was made possible by Ralph and Debbie Taylor of Kansas City. TheTaylor's donated $1 million to the project in August. Another pledge of $200,000 was announced last week by Mr. and Mrs. Michael Haverty of Kansas City. Their son Mike was a pitcher for Missouri from 1993-97 and was an honorable mention All-Big Eight selection in 1996 after leading the conference in ERA.
STREAKING TIGERS
The Missouri Tigers (35-17) have won 21 of their last 25 games including an 11-4 run through the Big 12 Conference. Before dropping two-of-three to Kansas State last weekend, the Tigers had completed a three game sweep of Iowa State and had taken two-of-three from Nebraska in Lincoln the weekend before.
Missouri is 21-4 since March 31 which includes winning streaks of nine and five games. Missouri's numbers during their current hot-streak speak for themselves. Mizzou is hitting .319 as a team in its last 25 games and have a team ERA of 3.22.
Missouri's four starting pitchers: Chris George, Jody Harris, Justin Stine and Logan Dale have a combined ERA of 2.56 in the last 25 games. Opponents are hitting just .251 against Missouri's pitching staff during this current streak.
Offensively in the last 25 games, sophomore catcher Jon Williams is hitting .452 (38-for-84) with seven doubles, two home runs and 24 RBI. Senior Aaron Wilson is hitting at a .371 clip with five home runs and 38 RBI to go along with 14 doubles. Sophomore J.R. Warner is also red-hot with a .381 batting average with four home runs and 22 RBI. He also has 12 doubles.
RED-HOT WARNER HAS THE TIGERS STREAKING
Sophomore J.R. Warner has been the catalyst of Missouri's mid-season turnaround. Warner has become the everyday starter in right field for the Tigers since getting a vote of confidence from head coach Tim Jamieson back in mid-March at Baylor.
Warner was named co-Big 12 Player-of-the-Week on April 5 following his 12-for-18 outburst in five games. Warner went 10-for-13 in the three-game set against Jacksonville State with 2 HR, 6 RBI and seven runs scored.
Warner enjoyed another big three days at the dish vs. Iowa State when he went 8-for-12 with four doubles, five runs scored, two stolen bases and an RBI.
In one three-week span, Warner went 24-for-46 with 3 HR, 13 RBI and 18 runs scored. After slumping through the first two games at Nebraska where he went 0-for-12, Warner came up big in the rubber game of the series with a two-run double and a three-run home run in his final two at-bats of the series to lead the Tigers to the series victory.
MIZZOU's PITCHING STAFF IS WELL ARMED AND VERY DANGEROUS
Missouri's pitching staff was very well publicized during the preseason as being the strength of the team. After a month had a gone by in the 1999 season, there were a lot of questions about the struggles of Justin Stine and the injuries of Chris George and Logan Dale.
Nobody is asking questions anymore as the Tigers now possess one of the most dangerous starting pitching staffs not only in the Big 12 Conference, but in the country. In the last 25 games, Missouri pitchers have an ERA of 3.18 and teams are hitting just .245 against the Tigers. Mizzou's four starting pitchers, Jody Harris, Chris George, Justin Stine and Logan Dale, have a combined ERA of under 2.73.
Harris has led the charge with a 8-4 record and a 2.48 ERA. His ERA is ranked in the top 20 in the country. Harris has posted wins over Notre Dame and Texas Tech, and very well should have defeated Texas A&M after hurling 10 innings and giving up just one earned run. The JUCO transfer tossed a three-hit shutout against Texas Tech and allowed one run against Notre Dame. Harris has four complete games this season and has allowed just 26 earned runs in 94 1/3 innings. He has 89 strikeouts to just 16 walks.
Stine has returned to form and has completed six of his last nine games. He threw nine innings at Nebraska, but the game went 11 innings. He hurled eight innings against Iowa State and allowed just one run while striking out 11. In his last seven starts, Stine has an ERA of 2.46 as he has allowd 18 earned runs in his last 58 1/3 innings of work.
Then there is the return of George, who in seven starts has an ERA of 2.40. He has allowed just 14 earned runs in 46 2/3 innings since coming back from the broken foot he suffered on Feb. 21. George was the All-Big 12 closer a year ago. X-rays have shown that the foot is still broken.
Dale has been Missouri's weekday starter and has fared extremelly well since regaining his arm strength following elbow problems. The sophomore right hander is 5-0 in his last five starts which includes a spot-start at Nebraska. Dale hurled 8 1/3 innings and gave up three earned runs on seven hits.
CONSISTANT WILSON NEEDS NO ATTENTION
Senior third baseman Aaron Wilson doesn't draw a whole lot of attention by scouts, media or fans. He just quietly goes about his business by getting on base whether it be a base hit or a walk. Wilson is hitting .373 and has an on-base percentage of .448. He leads the club with 72 hits and 52 RBI and has walked 32 times.
It does not matter where Wilson is hitting in the Mizzou lineup. He has hit in every position between second and sixth. He has a hit in 41 of the 50 games he has played and has 21 multi-hit games this season. It maybe the five home runs and the 52 RBI that throws people for a loop. Wilson has been a model of consistency.
In five games vs. Kansas and Jacksonville State, Wilson went 11-for-20 with a home run, five doubles, nine runs and 7 RBI. Wilson drove in six runs against Kansas and went 5-for-13 with a home run and three doubles. He had a season-long 16 game hitting streak snapped at Southeast Missouri State but still drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and moved a runner into scoring position with nobody out in an inning.
Wilson had six hits at Nebraska and connected for two home runs and drove in seven runs against Iowa State.
Wilson has 38 RBI and 14 doubles in his last 25 games.
FRESHMAN STEGALL MAKES EARLY IMPRESSION
Freshman shortstop Ryan Stegall is making a charge at the Big 12 Freshman of the Year award. He leads the club in home runs (12) and runs scored (53). The freshman has started all but one game.
Stegall has 17 multi-hit games and 11 multi-RBI games to his credit this season. After going 0-for-5 in his collegiate debut against Lincoln University, he went 2-for-3 with a home run, triple and 4 RBI in his next game against Truman State. Stegall followed that performance with a 3-for-3 day including his second home run of the year. He homered again the following day vs. Missouri Baptist and went 2-for-4.
In the Tigers four-game weekend in the Bayou, Stegall went 9-for-18 with 4 HR and 12 RBI. He had a 2-for-5 day against Southern Mississippi and a 2-for-3 day with 3 RBI vs. Notre Dame. The freshman really made his mark in a 14-12 come from behind win over Southern Illinois. Stegall led the charge with a 3-for-4 day which included 2 HR and 4 RBI. He homered twice and drove in four more runs the following day against New Orleans. Stegall was named the Big 12 Player-of-the-Week.
Stegall struck again on St. Patrick's Day against Saint Louis. After being hit by two pitches in his first two plate appearances, Stegall drilled a two-run homer through the teeth of a 25 mph. wind for his ninth home run of the year. He had three RBI on the night.
After fighting through his first careeer slump, Stegall emerged again in the Jacksonville State series. He went 3-for-5 with 6 RBI and a grand slam in the second game of the series.
After going without a home run for a month, Stegall hit two big bombs at Nebraska.
Stegall presence may further be felt on the mound in the future. He made two appearances on the hill this season and has retired all six men he faced. Stegall was an outstanding pitcher for Liberty High School.
JONNY ON THE SPOT
Sophomore catcher Jon Williams is quietly putting together a solid season and has been one of the most consistant hitters at the plate for the Tigers. Williams leads Missouri with a .379batting average and has 16 doubles. Williams wrapped up conference play with a .384 average, 2 HR and 21 RBI to go along with 12 doubles.
How hot as Williams been as of late? He is hitting .452 in the last 25 games which is 38 for his last 84.
Williams has hit in 34 of his last 40 games. After having a 12-game hitting streak snapped at Baylor, Williams went 2-for-3 with a home run against Southwest Missouri State. He had three hits and 2 RBI in the series against Texas A&M.
Defensively, Williams has been very good behind the dish. He has yet to commit an error and has just 10 passed balls. He has thrown out 13 base runners trying to steal this season.
Williams was tabbed the Big 12 Player of the Week following a 9-for-14 weekend at Nebraska.
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT AT MISSOURI
You really don't need a crystal ball to look into the future of the Missouri baseball team. All you need to do is look at the latest 1999 box scores and stat sheet. Tim Jamieson has found the winning combination with no less than four freshmen playing on close to an everyday basis and three sophomores.
Jamieson has called upon freshmen Ryan Stegall, Mick Weiss and W.T. Hoover close to everyday this season. Those three freshmen are hitting a combined .285 for the season and all three have started more than half of Missouri's games this season. They have combined for 16 home runs (12 by Stegall) and 83 RBI. Another freshman, Luke Cassis, has seen his playing time increase over the last month.
And then there are the trio of sophomore W's: J.R. Warner, Jon Williams and Nick Wilfong. Warner and Williams are hitting a combined .366 with 8 HR and 62 RBI. Wilfong got off of to fast start, but slumped after a couple of weeks. He has been hot as of late with a .320 batting average, 4 HR and 15 RBI in the 25 games.
No, you will not find the name W.T. Hoover in your 1999 Missouri Baseball Media Guide. Warren Thomas Hoover walked on to the Missouri club in January after redshirting last season at Fresno State. Originally from Brookfield, Mo., Hoover decided to return closer to his father after his mother moved from California to Salt Lake City, Utah last year.
The freshman has been a big surprise. He has started 35 games for the Tigers and has hit in the leadoff spot for most of the season. He is hitting .262 with 3 HR and 19 RBI. He also leads the team in bases-on-balls with 38.
This past Friday night, Hoover set a Missouri single-game record for doubles with four against Bradley.
WARNER IN THE NCAA RECORD BOOKS
Sophomore J.R. Warner will be noted in the NCAA Baseball Record Book next season. On Feb. 26 against Notre Dame, Warner became the fourth player in NCAA history to triple twice in one inning. His two triples led the Tigers to an 8-run outburst and helped the Tigers defeat Notre Dame 13-1 at the UNO Classic in New Orleans.
COACH JAMIESON LOOKS TO CONTINUE THE WINNING WAYS
Head Coach Tim Jamieson has already established himself as one the top young coaches in all of college baseball. In his fifth year, Coach Jamieson has led Missouri to a 160-115 record. That mark includes three postseason conference tournaments, a trip to the NCAA Tournament, and a regular season Big Eight title.
Jamieson's Tigers are 141-81 since his first season in 1995 when the Tigers went 19-34. The Tigers have now won 30 games in the four straight seasons.
TIGERS HIT HOME RUNS FOR KIDS
The Missouri Tigers have teamed up with the University of Missouri Children's Hospital to develop a special program called "Home Runs for Kids." The program is geared to raise money for sick children at the Children's Hospital at University Hospital and Clinics.
The fundraising program will recruit baseball fans, individuals, busineeses, clubs and organizations, to pledge 25 cents to $10 or more for every home run the Tigers hit this season. One hundred percent of the money raised by the "Home Run for Kids" program will be used locally to fund equipment, research and programs for patients at Children's Hospital.
In addition, the Tigers will volunteer at Children's Hospital to interact with patients. The team will also dedicate one of its games as Children's Hospital Game Day. During this game, current and former Children's Hospital patients will be invited to attend the game, a patient will throw the first pitch and patients will have the opportunity to interact with the team following the game.
Children's Hospital is mid-Missouri's largest and most comprehensive healthcare facility for children and has the area's only pediatric intensive care unit and Level III neonatal intensive care unit. Specialized care for almost every childhood disease is the hospital's hallmark, along with the area's only pediatric surgeons and more than 30 other pediatric specialists.
Last season the Tigers hit a school-record 110 home run. HOME RUNS FOR KIDS COUNT: 51
1999 RECRUITING CLASS TAKING SHAPE
So far, so good on the Missouri recruiting front for next season. The Tigers have already signed seven talented players that will be in MU uniforms in the year 2000.
Headlining the Tigers recruiting class is Ryan Rallo, the younger brother of current Tiger Mike Rallo. From CBC High School in St. Louis, Rallo is considered one of the top hittters in the midwest. He is already been tabbed a preseason high school All-American by Baseball America. In two seasons at CBC, Rallo has a career batting average of .533 with 11 HR and 68 RBI in 180 at bats.
From the other side of the state comes Rockhurst High School standout Kevin Henry. Henry is a 6-foot-4 sluger with pure power and is also recognized as one of the outstanding hitters in the midwest. This past summer, Henry hit .280 with 19 HR and 69 RBI for the Kansas City Sluggers.
Henry will be joined by Sluggers teammate Jayce Tinger of Smithville, Mo. Tingler is a little spark plug type player who fits the role of a leadoff man. He hit .434 this past summer with 52 bases-on-balls and just 10 strikeouts. He drove in 42 runs with 198 official at bats. Tingler is an outfielder with tremendous speed.
Another member of the K.C. Sluggers this past summer is right-handed pitcher Andy Powers from St. Joseph Central High School. Powers went 9-1 with four saves and struck out 45 hitters in 61 innings.
Missouri also signed a talented infielder in Oakville High School's Eric Errante. Errante hit .508 this past summer with 6 HR an d48 RBI and was the MVP of the 1997 Oklahoma Super Series two years ago. Errante chose Mizzou over Oklahoma State.
Carthage, Mo. product Drew Endicott joins the Tigers as a right-handed pitcher. He recorded a 7-3 record for Carthage High School last season with a 1.95 ERA. He struck out 73 hitters in 64 innings of work while walking just 23. He is believed to have one of the best arms in the midwest.
The Tigers lone out-of-state recruit is catcher Brian Desch of Shawnee Mission Northwest High School. The 6-2, 190 pounder hit .452 last summer with 2 HR and 31 RBI.
Missouri recently signed Henry's Rockhurst teammate Mark Alexander. Alexander is a big, stocky right hander with a hard fastball. Alexander was also a member of the Kansas City Sluggers this past summer.