April 30, 2002
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Western Illinois handed Missouri a 7-5 loss Tuesday night at MU's Taylor Stadium/Simmons Field, snapping a nine-game Tiger win streak over the Leathernecks. Jeff Wellwood, Pete Tronick and Ryan McCool each had three hits to lead Western Illinois, now 6-32. Mick Weiss had three hits and three runs batted in to lead the Tigers, now 22-21.
Neither team started quickly as both teams did not score until the fourth inning.
Western Illinois used four hits and a sacrifice fly to score two runs in the fourth inning. Missouri answered when W.T. Hoover reached on a bunt single to open the fourth. After Jody Roughton walked, Mick Weiss delivered a one-out single to center to score Hoover and make it 2-1.
The Leathernecks took advantage of an error and a walk to open the fifth inning. A double and three singles plated four runs in the frame and give Western Illinois a 6-1 lead.
In the Tigers' half of the fifth, Jayce Tingler had a two-out single before scoring on a double to left field by Hoover. The single by Tingler extended his hit streak to a career-best 19 games. After back-to-back walks by Cody Ehlers and Roughton, Weiss singled to left field to score Hoover and cut the Western Illinois lead to 6-3.
The Tigers led off the sixth inning with a single by Luke Cassis and a walk to Chris Julo. Ryan Rothford singled to right field to score Cassis and make it 6-4.
In the Missouri's seventh inning, Weiss hit a one-out solo homer for his 10th round-tripper of the season, a personal best. The home run was Weiss' third hit of the game.
Wellwood homered in the ninth inning for the final margin.
A bright spot for the Tigers' pitching staff was the performance of Aaron Paterson who pitched three scoreless innings in relief.
The two teams play Wednesday at 3 p.m.