May 28, 2006

Box Score

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.-- - An unearned run in the bottom of the eighth inning gave the Kansas a 4-3 win over Missouri on Saturday, knocking the Tigers out of the Big 12 Championship in Oklahoma City, Okla. The loss snaps MU's six-game winning streak.

Missouri rallied from three down, scoring two runs in the seventh inning and one in the eighth, to tie the game at three heading to the bottom of the eighth inning.

The Kansas half of the eighth began with an infield hit by Preston Land that just dropped in over the head of MU pitcher Travis Wendte. Brock Simpson, on as a pinch runner for Land, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt then advanced to third and home on a pair of errors, scoring the winning run.

With the win, Kansas advances to Sunday's Big 12 Championship Game against Nebraska.

Kansas jumped out to an early lead with a run in the first inning and added a second run on a solo home run by Ryne Price in the bottom of the second. The Jayhawks scored their third run in the fifth inning, as Jared Schweitzer doubled and scored on a base hit by Erik Morrison.

Mizzou scored twice in the seventh inning to cut the lead to one. The Tigers put two runners on as senior Derek Chambers doubled and senior Zane Taylor singled. Chambers scored MU's first run of the night when freshman Ryan Lollis grounded out. Junior Hunter Mense, on as a pinch hitter, then singled up the middle to drive in Taylor, making it a one-run game.

The Tigers tied the game in the eighth inning, as Chambers delivered a two-out single to drive in Kurt Calvert, who was pinch running for senior J.C. Field.

Chambers finished the game 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Mense, who entered the game in the seventh inning as a pinch hitter, had a pair of hits and drove in one.

Missouri is 31-25 and will await the NCAA Tournament selections to see if it will earn a bid to this year's postseason tournament.