April 5, 2005

Missouri sophomore right-hander Max Scherzer has been named the Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday. Scherzer teamed with sophomore Michael Cole to throw the first no-hitter at Mizzou since 1981 in a 25-0 defeat of Texas Tech last Friday.

Scherzer was also named the National Baseball Writers' Association National Pitcher of the Week and Collegiate Baseball Newspaper named Scherzer and Cole the National Players of the Week for their accomplishment last Friday.

Scherzer struck out a career-high 14 Red Raiders to record his sixth win in as many starts. He struck out the first four TTU batters and struck out the side in order in three of his seven innings pitched. Cole pitched the final two innings, striking out four more Red Raiders.

The no-hitter was the ninth in school history and the first since Jim Maddock no-hit Nebraska in May of 1981. The last combined no-hitter at MU also came in 1981, when Dave Spreckels and Bob Baker held Iowa hitless.

On the season, Scherzer leads the Big 12 Conference in both ERA, with a 1.02 mark, and strikeouts with 68. He is 6-1 on the season for the Tigers.

Mizzou moved up in the rankings this week, coming in as high as No. 19 in the Collegiate Baseball poll. The National Baseball Writers Association has ranked MU No. 20, while Baseball America has the Tigers at No. 23.

Missouri travels to Cape Girardeau, Mo. on Wednesday to take on Southeast Missouri State at 6 p.m. before returning to Taylor Stadium to host Texas A&M in a three-game series starting at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Scherzer will take the mound again for MU in Friday's series opener against the Aggies.