May 25, 2006
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.-- - Junior Nathan Culp came just two outs away from recording his third complete game of the season and tied a school record by picking up his 11th win of the year with Mizzou's 9-5 win over Oklahoma State on the opening day of the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City. Missouri has won five-straight games and picked up its 30th win of the season with Wednesday's win.
With the game tied at four heading to the ninth inning, the Tigers put five runs across the plate with a six-hit inning. Senior Zane Taylor delivered the third hit of the ninth inning, driving in senior Trevor Helms with the go-ahead run. Freshman Ryan Lollis followed with a single to drive in sophomore Jacob Priday and Taylor scored on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Brock Bond. Sophomore Evan Frey then singled in Lollis and junior Gary Arndt doubled to score Frey.
OSU scored one in the ninth inning as Jordy Mercer connected on a two-out home run.
Culp struck out six, allowing four runs on 11 hits and moved to 11-5 on the season. He ties Garrett Broshuis (2004), Ron Mathis (1979) and Keith Weber (1964) for the most wins in a season by a Tiger pitcher.
Priday had his fifth three-hit game of the season, finishing 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored on Wednesday. Five other Tigers had two-hit ballgames.
After Oklahoma State put the Tigers in an early hole with a two-run bottom of the first inning. Mizzou put up three runs in the third inning to take the lead. MU recorded four hits in the third, including a lead off double by senior J.C. Field and RBI base hits by Taylor and Lollis.
OSU regained the lead when Corey Brown led off the top of the third inning with his 11th home run of the year.
Field had his second hit of the game, a single in the seventh, and scored for the second time on the night, plating an unearned run when Priday reached on an error.
Again, the lead was short-lived as OSU scored in the bottom half of the seventh as Ty Wright scored on a sacrifice fly by pinch hitter John Schindler to tie the game at four, where the score remained until MU's five-run ninth.
In the other game involving Mizzou's pool in the tournament, Kansas defeated Oklahoma, 7-2. The Tigers will have the day off on Thursday before returning to action at 5 p.m. on Friday against Oklahoma. They will take on Kansas at 8 p.m. on Saturday.