May 1, 2003
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Oklahoma State Cowboys (28-17/10-8 Big 12)
Stillwater, Okla. - Allie P. Reynolds Stadium (4,000) - Fri.-Sun., May 2-4, 2003
MIZZOU MAKES FINAL CONFERENCE ROAD TRIP OF SEASON
The Missouri baseball team, which is on a quick two-game winning streak after stepping out of conference for its final in-state rivalry games of the season, makes its last road trip in Big 12 Conference this season with a critical three-game set in Stillwater, Okla., against the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
? ? ? Fourth place is on the line this weekend at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium, as the Tigers stand just percentage points ahead of OSU in the Big 12 standings. Oklahoma State also has three more games left in the conference schedule than Mizzou.
OSU SERIES INFORMATION
The Cowboys lead the series, which dates to 1916, by an impressive 121-62 margin, and have won the last eight in a row; the Tigers' last win against the Cowboys came on May 10, 1998. In addition, OSU has won the last 13 games in Stillwater dating back to a Mizzou win in 1993.
TIGER ROSTER IS OK WITH SOONER NATIVES
As has been the case for the past several years, Mizzou has a good representative of Oklahoma natives. Here is Mizzou's roster of Sooner natives:
TINGLER FEATURED IN BASEBALL AMERICA
Senior CF Jayce Tingler (Smithville, Mo.) is featured in the current issue of Baseball America, which hit newsstands earlier in the week. Chicago Cubs pitching phenom Mark Prior is on the cover.
RANK-AND-FILE
As mentioned above, the Tigers have cracked the nation's top 25 with their No. 24 ranking in the latest Collegiate Baseball poll, and are receiving votes in two of the other three polls. Last week, Mizzou was ranked in all four major polls; this season is the first time the Tigers have had such national recognition since the 1997 preseason.
WALK (OFF) LIKE A MAN
Junior LF Ryan Rallo (Chesterfield, Mo.) hit a two-run homer to left field - his second of the game - with two out and two strikes in the bottom of the ninth to lead the Tigers to a thrilling 11-10 win over Southeast Missouri State on Wednesday at Taylor Stadium. It is the first walk-off homer for Mizzou (30-15) since Mick Weiss also deposited a shot into the Tiger bullpen against Iowa State in 2001.
JOHNSON BREAKS OUT THE WOOD
Junior OF Kyle Johnson (Omaha, Neb.) hit his fourth homer of the season on Tuesday at T.R. Hughes Ballpark, yet what was notable about the shot was not simply that he has now hit Mizzou's last two bombs. The homer was hit with a wooden bat - just the second in the four-year history of the Wood-Bat Classic. Junior OF/DH Lee Laskowski (Clayton, Mo.) hit the first as a freshman in 2001.
BRICKTOWN WILL BE TIGERTOWN NEXT MONTH
With its win on Saturday against No. 13 Texas A&M, coupled with Texas Tech's pair of losses against Nebraska over the weekend, Mizzou has clinched a berth in the 2003 Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Baseball Tournament. It will mark the Tigers' first visit to Oklahoma City since 2000. This year's tournament will take place at SBC Bricktown Ballpark from May 21-25.
TINGLER DRIVES THE TRAIN
Senior OF Jayce Tingler (Smithville, Mo.) continues to prove himself as one of the Big 12's best leadoff hitters, yet he is also helping the Tigers in a way that would be expected of someone hitting lower in the order. In addition to leading the Tigers with 51 runs scored - which is not surprising from his position in the leadoff spot - he is also second on the team with 42 RBI.
? ? ? Tingler, who led the prestigious Cape Cod League in on-base percentage last summer, also hit his first career homer, at Southeast Missouri on March 11. He leads the squad with a .407 batting average, and boasts an impressive .532 on-base percentage - which leads the Big 12 - thanks to his league-leading 39 walks.