Dec. 27, 2005

Mizzou Baseball junior pitcher Max Scherzer has been named to the Louisville Slugger Preseason All-American first team as selected by Collegiate Baseball newspaper. It is the second preseason All-American honor for Scherzer, who was named to the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association first team earlier this month.

Scherzer, the Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Year and a second team All-American in 2005, led the Tigers and the Big 12 with a school record 131 strikeouts and an ERA of 1.86 last year. He was 9-4 on the year and did not allow an earned run in seven of his 15 starts, including a combined no-hitter against Texas Tech.

He spent the summer with Team USA, helping the National team to a 16-4 record against teams from around the world. Scherzer has also been named to the Wallace Award Watch list, which is given to the nation's top player.

The Tigers will open up the 2006 season against East Tennessee State at the Charleston Southern Tournament in Charleston, S.C. on Feb. 9. Missouri will open up the home portion of the 2006 schedule on March 1 against Illinois State at 4 p.m. at Taylor Stadium.