May 23, 2003
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. - A three-run homer by junior 1B Cody Ehlers (Stillwater, Okla.) and a stellar relief performance by freshman RHP Nick Admire (Lebanon, Mo.) were not enough to keep the Missouri baseball team alive in the Big 12 Tournament, as the Tigers lost to Baylor by a 9-8 count Friday night at Bricktown Ballpark.
The Tigers (35-20) will now await word on an expected bid to the NCAA Tournament, which would mark Mizzou's first appearance since 1996. The 64-team field will be announced live Monday on ESPN2 at 11:30 a.m.
"I can't tell you how proud I am of our players," Head Coach Tim Jamieson said. "If we get things going again, we can win a regional. I saw a lot of good things tonight. You hate to lose, and you hate to have to come home, but we'll get a little bit of rest going into Monday."
Baylor (39-20) got on board in the bottom of the first with a pair of runs. David Murphy hit a one-out single up the middle, and advanced to second when sophomore right Garrett Broshuis (Advance, Mo.) hit Josh Ford. After a Michael Griffin flyout to center, Mark Saccomanno hit a two-run double to deep right to score Murphy and Ford.
The Tigers took the lead in the second, scoring three runs without the benefit of a hit. With one out, Baylor left-hander Trey Taylor walked the bases loaded before freshman LF Tyler Williams (Delta, British Columbia) struck out looking. Then with junior 2B Jeremy Hernandez (Aptos, Calif.) at the plate, freshman 3B Zane Taylor (Kirksville, Mo.) scored on a passed ball, and on the very next pitch, both junior C Brad Flanders (Smithville, Mo.) and junior RF Kyle Johnson (Omaha, Neb.) scored on a wild pitch. Johnson came home when catcher Josh Ford's throw back to the plate went into the infield.
Admire kept the Tigers in the game against one of the top offenses in the country, striking out six Bears in a season-high 5.0 innings. Both numbers were season highs. His only mistake came in the sixth inning when Griffin hit his 10th homer of the season, a two-run shot to left.
Senior CF Jayce Tingler (Smithville, Mo.) led off the third with his 164th career walk, not only forcing Taylor out of the game with the no-hitter intact but also matching him with former Tiger Matt Nivens (1994-97) for the Missouri school record. Junior SS Ian Kinsler (Tucson, Ariz.) ended the Baylor no-hit bid in the next at-bat, and Tingler scored an unearned run when Ehlers reached on a throwing error by shortstop Trey Webb.
David Murphy hit his 11th homer of the season to lead off the bottom of the third and cut Mizzou's lead in half. Ford followed with a double to deep left-center and Griffin walked. Broshuis (5-3) retired the next two batters, yet the Bears tied the score when Kinsler's diving stab at a Webb liner in the hole glanced off his glove.
In the fourth, Broshuis allowed consecutive singles to Kevin Sevigny, Durbin and Murphy to give the Bears the lead and end his night. Admire came on in relief, giving up and RBI groundout and a sacrifice fly to center to give Baylor a 7-4 lead.
Mizzou pulled within one with four unearned runs in the seventh. Johnson reached to lead off the inning on a throwing error by Saccomanno at first base. After stealing second, Johnson moved to third on Williams' bunt single down the first-base line. Tingler hit a one-out single through the right side to plate Johnson, and with two out, Ehlers hit his team-leading ninth homer of the season off eventual winner Andy Pape (3-0). It was Mizzou's first homer since Ehlers hit two against Rockhurst on May 9.