University of Missouri
Kansas State
Tigers Drop Two Against K-State
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 10, 1999
COLUMBIA, Mo.- The Missouri Tigers (32-17, 14-13) closed out their Big 12 Conference schedule this past weekend in St. Joseph, Mo. against the Kansas State Wildcats (26-26, 11-15). The Tigers dropped two-of-three to the Wildcats over the weekend and remain in the seventh place in the Big 12 standings.
In game one on Saturday, Justin Stine (8-3) pitched another gem for Missouri allowing three runs on eight hits in a complete game 5-3 win. The Tigers trailed 2-1 in the seventh inning when Mike Rallo singled in the tying run. The Tigers then sent seldom used catcher Ryan Pickett to the plate as a pinch-hitter against Kansas State left hander Derek Anderson. Pickett came through with a two-run double giving the Tigers a 4-2 lead. Mike Ketelsen tripled in a run in the ninth inning to give Missouri some insurance.
The Tigers dropped the second game by a score of 5-4 in a game filled with controversy. Kansas State led by a score of 5-2 heading into the top of the ninth inning. With two runners on base and nobody out, Pickett came up as a pinch-hitter again against left handed reliever Chad Cosens. Pickett delivered again with a sacrifice fly to cut the K-State lead to 5-3. Mike Ketelsen was next up and singled in another run to cut the lead to 5-4 with one out. Ketelsen stole second base with J.R. Warner at the plate to move the tying run into scoring position. Warner then drove a Cousins pitch down the right field line to score Ketelsen and tie the game 5-5, or did he? First base umpire David Hall called Warner's hit a foul ball leading to a heated argument between Warner, first base coach Mark Flatten, and Hall. As Missouri Head Coach Tim Jamieson started sprinting towards first base to argue the call, he pulled up lame between third base and the pitchers mound with a pulled calf muscle.
After the dust had cleared, Warner had another chance. After taking a ball and a strike, Warner hit a ground ball between the pitchers mound and first base. Cousins scooped the ball up and flipped it high over first baseman Mark English's head. As English left the bag to jump and retrieve the ball, it appeared Warner had beaten him to the base. Again, first base umpire David Hall called Warner out leading to yet another heated argument between Warner, Flatten and Hall. Cousins would retire the next hitter, Jon Williams, on a fly out to center field to end the game.
In yet another tight game, Kansas State escaped Sunday's finale with a 3-2 victory over the Tigers. Missouri could not solve K-State left hander Brandon Peck and the Tigers recorded just six hits in the contest. Three of those hits came in the third inning, the same inning Missouri scored both of their runs. Jody Harris (8-4) pitched well for the Tigers giving up just two earned runs on 10 hits while striking out six in 8 1/3 innings of work.
With the game tied 2-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Wildcats put runners on the second and third with one out. Missouri brought out closer Ryan Jamison to face Kansas State's Ben Oleen. With the Missouri infield in for a play at the plate, Oleen hit a high chopper to Ryan Stegall at shortstop. Stegall gunned the ball to Mizzou catcher Jon Williams at the plate to try and tag out the baserunner Mark English. English dove at the plate as Williams layed the tag on him. On a call that could have gone either way, David Hall called English safe at the plate giving K-State the 3-2 win.
