April 16, 2004

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After four games on the road, Mizzou returns to Taylor Stadium this weekend to host Nebraska. Game one of the three-game series will get underway at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. The Tigers enter the weekend with a 22-12-1 record and a 2-7 Big 12 mark and are coming off of a 5-4 win over SMS in 10 innings on Wednesday. The win snapped a six-game losing streak for MU. Nebraska carries a 25-7 record into the series and is 6-3 in the conference. Missouri holds a 127-94 lead in the all-time series with the Huskers. Nebraska took two of three from MU last year, but the Tigers have won five of the last eight games between the two teams. Following the weekend, Mizzou will host SMS at 7 p.m. on Tuesday before traveling to Texas A&M next weekend.

Last Time Out
SPRINGFIELD, Mo.-- Mizzou snapped its six-game losing skid with a 10-inning, 5-4 win over Southwest Missouri State in Springfield on Wednesday. Senior 1B Cody Ehlers hit a solo home run in the top of the tenth for the game-winning run. Ehlers was 3-for-5 with the homer and two doubles on the night. The win is the first for MU over SMS since 2001 and Mizzou took a 16-15 lead in the all-time series with the Bears. MU took a one run lead into the eighth inning, where SMS tied it up with a run scoring on a wild pitch. Mizzou would answer with two runs in the top of the ninth. Ehlers led off with a double and senior LF Lee Laskowski followed with a walk. Ehlers would score on a single by senior Jeremy Hernandez and Laskowski was driven in on a single by senior RF Kyle Johnson. The Bears would answer that with a two-run bottom of the ninth to send it to the 10th. Then, with two outs in the top of the tenth, Ehlers connected for his team-leading 11th home run of the season. The Bears got a lead off single in the bottom of the tenth, but sophomore RHP Nick Admire retired the next three batters, including two strikeouts to finish the game. Freshman RHP Max Scherzer made his first career start for the Tigers on Wednesday and went four innings, allowing just one run on four hits. After the first two SMS batters of the game reached base, Scherzer stuck out the next three to get out of the inning. He finished with seven strikeouts in the four inning and walked two.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska is 25-7 on the year and 6-3 in the Big 12 heading into the weekend series with the Tigers. The Cornhuskers defeated Wichita State by a score of 7-4 on Tuesday after losing two-of-three to Texas Tech last weekend in Lincoln. In other Big 12 series this year, Nebraska swept Kansas State and won two of the three matchups with Kansas. Before falling to Texas Tech last Saturday, the Huskers had won nine straight games and 17 out of 18 games. NU is ranked in the top 20 of all four national polls. The Sports Weekly/ESPN poll and the NCBWA poll have the Huksers the highest of the four polls, at No. 15 in each. Mizzou holds a 127-94 lead in the all-time series with Nebraska. The Huskers won two of three in last year's season series, but the Tigers have won five of the last eight. The last time the two teams met in Columbia, in 2002, MU took the series by taking two of the three games.

A Tough Road Ahead
Not that there is ever an easy portion of the Big 12 Conference schedule, but for Mizzou, the next three weekends are definitely not easy. The Tigers will face teams ranked in the top 15 in the nation in each of its next three conference series. This weekend, No. 15-ranked Nebraska will be in Columbia for a three-game set starting on Friday night. Next weekend, Mizzou will travel to College Station for a three-game series against Texas A&M, which is ranked as high as No. 13 in the latest polls. Following that, Texas, which is ranked No. 1 in all four polls, will be at Taylor Stadium for a series beginning on April 30.

Among the Nation's Best
In the latest NCAA statistics, released on Monday, the Mizzou pitching staff's ERA of 3.38 is the 22nd best in the nation. Junior RHP Garrett Broshuis is tied for 24th in the nation with his six victories on the season and senior RHP Mark Alexander is tied for 26th with five saves. Mizzou is also ranked No. 25 in fielding percentage with a .971 mark.

The Hits Keep on Coming
Five Tigers have had double-digit hitting streaks during the season. Sophomore RF James Boone had a 16-game streak snapped last weekend against Oklahoma. That streak matches the streak of senior DH Lee Laskowski, who had a 16-game hitting streak snapped on March 28 against Kansas State. The 16-game streaks are the longest of the year for MU. Senior 1B Cody Ehlers had a 15-game hitting streak at one point during the year and fellow senior Ryan Rallo had hits in 14 straight games earlier this season. Sophomore 2B Zane Taylor had a 13-game hitting streak snapped last weekend against Oklahoma and had an eight-game streak earlier in the season.

Checking the Record Books
A trio of MU seniors are making their way up the charts in the Mizzou Baseball record books. Cody Ehlers is currently tied for fourth place all-time in career doubles at MU with 48. He has 15 doubles this season, marking the third straight year he has had at least 15 doubles. Ehlers is also seventh on the career home runs lists with 30 heading into the weekend. His 11 home runs this season is a career best for Ehlers, who had nine in each of the previous two years. Ehlers is also fifth in career extra base hits (82) and seventh in career RBI (161). Fellow senior Ryan Rallo is also climbing the career home runs chart. He enters the Nebraska series 11th with 25 career homers and has tied his career high with nine this season. Relief pitcher Mark Alexander has recorded five saves this season and is in a tie for 10th for saves in a season at Missouri. He is in a tie with current teammate Travis Wendte who had five saves as a freshman in 2002.

Now Appearing
Senior RHP Mark Alexander leads the Tigers with 16 appearances this season and has recorded five saves. In three previous season with Mizzou, Alexander had not recorded a single save. His five saves this season already have him in a tie for tenth for most saves in a season in MU history. Sophomore LHP Taylor Parker is second on the team with 15 appearances. He has allowed just three walks in 25.1 innings pitched and has recorded two saves. Junior RHP Dustin Braud (pronounced 'Bro') has 14 appearances and a 3-2 record out of the bullpen.

An A for Ehlers
Mizzou senior 1B Cody Ehlers leads the Tigers in nearly every offensive category. He has started all but one game at first base for the Tigers this season and has a team-best .374 batting average. Ehlers also leads the team in home runs (11), RBI (43), runs scored (33), hits (52), doubles (15) and total bases (102). He hit the game-winning home run for MU on Wednesday night against SMS, a solo shot with two outs in the top of the tenth inning. He finished 3-for-5 with the homer and a pair of doubles in the win over SMS. Earlier in the season, Ehlers put together a 15-game hitting streak, which was snapped against Baylor. He opened the year by recording at least one hit in each of the first six games of the season. Ehlers has had more than one hit in 18 of MU's 35 games this year and has had multi-hit games in 11 of the last 19 games. The senior also has had at least four hits in two games this year.

Up Next
Less than a week after defeating SMS 5-4 in 10 innings, Mizzou will welcome the Bears to Columbia on Tuesday for a rematch. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. at Taylor Stadium. Next weekend, MU will be in College Station, Texas for a three-game series with Texas A&M. Game one will start at 7 p.m. on Friday. The second game will get underway at 7 p.m. on Saturday and the final game is at 1 p.m. on Sunday.