March 16, 2003
AUSTIN, Texas - Freshman righty and Jefferson City Helias grad Sam LeCure threw 4-plus innings of hitless relief to help No. 9 Texas hang on for a 6-3 win and a series sweep of Missouri at Disch-Falk Field Sunday afternoon.
Texas (18-7, 3-0 Big 12) took a first-inning lead by scoring an unearned run off Missouri junior RHP Derek Roper (Elk City, Okla.). After the first two batters were retired, Texas RF Dustin Majewski reached when his grounder went between the legs of Tiger 1B Cody Ehlers (Stillwater, Okla.). He went to second on a wild pitch, and was singled home by DH Scott Dodge.
Missouri (12-8, 0-3) came back with three in the third to take its first lead since the fourth inning of Friday's series opener. Junior C Brad Flanders (Smithville, Okla.) squibbed a one-out infield hit to the shortstop, and freshman OF Tyler Williams (Delta, B.C.) followed with a single up the middle. Senior OF Jayce Tingler (Smithville, Mo.) sent a 2-2 pitch over a drawn-in Majewski in right for a two-out, two-run triple, and junior SS Ian Kinsler (Tucson, Ariz.) singled Tingler home to give Missouri its biggest inning of the series.
Texas drew within one in the bottom of the second when Seth Johnston hit his first career homer to left.
The Tigers had runners on first and second with two outs in the third to chase Longhorn starter Eugene Espinelli. Reliever Brantley Jordan walked Williams to load the bases, and UT sent in LeCure (3-0) to strike out MU freshman 3B James Boone (Clinton, Okla.) and end the threat.
Texas struck back in the bottom of the fourth with one out. Roper (2-1) allowed walks to J.D. Reininger and Joe Ferin, and Seth Johnston singled to left to load the bases. Tim Moss, the speedy Longhorn whom Roper had forced into popups his first two trips to the plate, roped a bases-clearing double to left-center that gave UT a 5-3 lead and forced Roper out of the game. Lefty Taylor Parker (Bellaire, Texas) made his second appearance of the weekend, allowing a Majewski single to drive in Moss before the Tiger freshman picked Majewski off first to end the four-run inning.
LeCure walked Ehlers to lead off the eighth before yielding to Huston Street, who hurled the final two innings for his fourth save.
"We didn't play badly today, but we played just bad enough to lose," Head Coach Tim Jamieson said. "We didn't walk a lot of guys, but we walked enough to dig ourselves a hole. Travis came in and attacked the hitters; we just couldn't get hits when we needed them."
Missouri returns to Columbia for a four-game homestand beginning this Wednesday, March 19, with a single non-conference game against Illinois State. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. The Tigers then welcome Border War rival Kansas for a three-game Big 12 series at Taylor Stadium/Simmons Field this weekend. For ticket information, call 1-800-CAT-PAWS (573-884-PAWS in Mid-Missouri).