May 18, 2000
Seventh-seeded Missouri upended No. 2 seed Nebraska 12-10 in game two Wednesday of the Big 12 Conference Phillips 66 postseason baseball tournament at Southwestern Bell Bricktown Ballpark.
The Tigers, now 33-22 and winners of four straight games, made another push toward their first NCAA Regional bid since the 1996 season with a tourney-record-tying five team home runs in the contest. Third baseman Landon Brandes poled his ninth and 10th homers of the season as the MU batting leader plated four runs with three hits.
Nebraska dropped to 42-15 overall as the Huskers move into a losers' bracket battle against Oklahoma State at 10 a.m. (CDT) Thursday. The team which falls in that game will be eliminated. Coach Dave Van Horn's crew had a three-hit afternoon by 2B Will Bolt as high winds, gusting to 25 mph, plagued both teams.
Nick Wilfong (ninth homer), Mick Weiss (third) and W.T. Hoover (second circuit clout) joined Brandes in the home run column for the winning Tigers. Wilfong joined Brandes with three hits apiece to highlight the 15-hit attack.
Mizzou faces Oklahoma at 5 p.m. (CDT) in game seven of the tournament, which concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. (CDT) in a national telecast on FOX Sports Net.
POSTGAME QUOTES
Missouri Head Coach Tim Jamieson
"I was seriously considering playing for runs early in the game. We got the bats going and there wasn't any reason to bunt anymore."
"We have to worry about Oklahoma, a good baseball team, tomorrow. Basically, we are in their backyard and they will be our focus. If you win tomorrow, you don't play on Friday. With our pitching staff probably being the thinnest of the teams here, that would give us a great boost, but we have to take care of business tomorrow."
Missouri Third Baseman Landon Brandes
"I have been seeing the ball really well the past couple of weeks. The weather is warming up and the ball seems to carry a lot better when it is warm. I am getting good swings and good pitches to hit. When you do that, good things will happen."
Nebraska Head Coach Dave Van Horn
Opening Statement: "Our problem was our pitching wasn't very good today. There isn't much you can do as a coach, you tell them the pitch to throw and they don't hit the location, there isn't much else to do."
On Shane Komine: "Shane had good stuff in the bullpen, he just didn't put the ball where it needed to be. Shane didn't pitch good today. Even he will tell you that."
Nebraska Pitcher Shane Komine
Opening Statement: "Missouri did a good job, every mistake I made they took full advantage of and hit it out of the park. I take full responsibility for our loss. I didn't put pitches where they needed to be."
POSTGAME NOTES
Nebraska's right fielder Adam Shabala hit the third grand slam in the history of the Big 12 Baseball Tournament. His fourth inning grand slam was the first of his career and his third home run of the season. Baylor's Jace Brewer and Texas' Jeff Ontiveros notched the first two grand slams in Big 12 Tournament action last season.
Missouri's five home runs ties a Big 12 Tournament record set by Oklahoma State in 1997 against Texas A&M. The Tiger's five home runs are the most since the Big 12 Tournament moved to Bricktown in 1998.
Missouri third baseman Landon Brandes lead the Tiger attack with two home runs on the afternoon, numbers nine and 10 on the season for Brandes.
Missouri advances in the winner's bracket to face Oklahoma at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Nebraska will play at 10 a.m. Thursday morning against the Oklahoma State Cowboys.