Oct. 4, 2002
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mother Nature didn't cooperate with Tim Jamieson's plans, yet his team rebounded nicely under the circumstances.
Junior OF Lee Laskowski (Clayton, Mo. / Clayton HS) doubled home two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to lead the Gold team to a 7-4 win over the Black in the Tigers' first intrasquad game of the year Friday night at Taylor Stadium/Simmons Field. The contest doubled as Missouri's first official practice of the fall non-competitive season after rain prevented an opening practice on Thursday.
The Gold team's five-run outburst in the eighth came after a dominating pitching performance by the Black's first four pitchers. Sophomore starter Justin James (Yukon, Okla. / Yukon HS) allowed a second-batter single to junior transfer to Kyle Johnson (Omaha, Neb. / Burke HS / Iowa Western CC), and Garrett Bauer (Ballwin, Mo. / Lafayette HS), Derek Roper (Elk City, Okla. / Elk City HS / Hutchinson JC) and Stephan Holst (Independence, Mo. / Truman HS) followed with five innings of hitless relief.
The Gold's pitching staff settled down as well in the middle innings. After starter Garrett Broshuis (Advance, Mo. / Advance HS) and Taylor Parker (Bellaire, Texas / Bellaire HS) combined to allow three runs on five hits in the first three innings, the relief provided by Mark Alexander (Independence, Mo. / Rockhurst HS), Travis Wendte (Moore, Okla. / Moore HS), Stephen Cole (Dallas, Texas / Keller HS), Matthew Stallings (Dallas, Texas / Hurst L.D. Bell HS) and Cody Ehlers (Stillwater, Okla. / Stillwater HS) combined to allow a single run on four hits over the final six innings.
Laskowski led off the Gold's comeback with a single to right field off Alain Quijano (Des Moines, Iowa / Lincoln HS / Marshalltown [Iowa] CC). He and Jeremy Hernandez (Aptos, Calif. / Harbor HS / Cabrillo [Calif.] College) scored on redshirt freshman Josiah Holst's (Independence, Mo. / Truman HS) two-out double to right. Holst scored on Adam Garrett's (Sikeston, Mo. / Sikeston HS) fielding error at second base, and then Laskowski completed the comeback with a double of his own to score sophomore Trevor Helms (Chesterfield, Mo. / Parkway West HS / Stetson) and freshman James Boone (Clinton, Okla. / Clinton HS) with the winning run. With the outcome decided, the Gold added two unearned runs in the bottom of the ninth as the coaching staff put the team through situational strategies.
"There were a lot of positives tonight," said Jamieson. "Both teams came out with intensity and excitement. There were mostly good plays, and some bad plays, but I'm pretty pleased, especially with this being our first practice. The pitchers dominated the game.
"Everyone played pretty much at the level we're expecting from them right now, but I was pretty impressed with how guys like Tyler Williams and Ian Kinsler played tonight."
The Black started the scoring in the second inning on a grounder to second by Garrett that scored fellow freshman Zane Taylor (Kirksville, Mo. / Kirksville HS).
The Tigers will hold 17 practices before completing the non-competitive season with the Fall World Series from Friday-Wednesday, Oct. 25-28.