March 25, 2008
MIZZOU at MINNESOTA
MARCH 25-26, 2008 • MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.
First Pitch:
Tuesday, 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, 1:30 p.m.
Series History: Tied 4-4
Last Meeting: MN took 2-of-3 in 1992
Stadium: Metrodome
Capacity: 63,669
Radio: KTGR 1580-AM
Live Audio: KTGR.com
Live Stats: gopherssports.com
MISSOURI TIGERS
Overall Record: 18-2
Big 12 Record: 3-0
Last 5/Last 10: 5-0/10-0
Streak: Won 13
Rankings: BA: 2/CB: 5/ NCBWA: 8/ ESPN: 6
Website: mutigers.com
Head Coach: Tim Jamieson
Career Record: 459-310-2 (14th year)
Record at MU: 459-310-2 (14th year)
MINNESOTA GOPHERS
Overall Record: 9-8
Big Ten Record: 0-0
Last 5/Last 10: 4-1/6-4
Streak: Won 3
Rankings: NR
Website: gopherssports.com
Head Coach: John Anderson
Career Record: 955-599 (27th year)
Record at Minn: 955-599 (2th year)
FIRST PITCH
This week the second-ranked Missouri Tigers will travel to Minneapolis for a two-game midweek series against Minnesota at the Metrodome. The two-game set will get underway at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, with game two to take place at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
The Tigers carry a 13-game winning streak into the series and are 18-2 on the year. The Gophers enter the series with a 9-8 record.
MU-MINNESOTA SERIES HISTORY
Missouri and Minnesota have split their previous eight meetings with the first two meetings coming in the 1964 College World Series. They split those two games with MU defeating the Gophers 4-1 before Minnesota ended the Tigers' run with a 5-1 victory.
MU won two games of a three-game series from the Gophers in 1991, before Minnesota took two-of-three in 1992.
MIZZOU CLIMBS TO NO. TWO IN BASEBALL AMERICA POLL
Mizzou climbed two spots to No. 2 in this week's Baseball America poll released on Monday. The No. 2 ranking is its highest ever mark.
Mizzou opened the 2008 season ranked No. 6 in the Baseball America Preseason Poll.
MU finds itself ranked fifth in Collegiate Baseball's Top 30, No. 6 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' Poll and eighth the NCBWA poll.
LAST TIME OUT
Missouri recorded an impressive sweep of then-No. 14 Baylor last weekend at Taylor Stadium. The Tigers did not allow an earned run in the series and outscored the Bears 22-2.
Junior Aaron Crow threw his second-straight shutout to open the series, as the Tigers defeated Baylor, 7-0 on Friday. Crow struck out 10, while allowing just three hits.
On Saturday, junior Ian Berger followed Crow's lead, by pitching seven shutout innings, allowing just one hit as the Tigers shutout the Bears again, 3-0. Berger struck out eight and lowered his season ERA to 0.30. Freshman Nick Tepesch pitched a perfect final two innings to pick up his third save of the year.
MU completed the three-game sweep with a 12-2 run-rule victory on Sunday. Sophomore Kyle Gibson allowed just two unearned runs and struck out nine, earning his fifth win of the year.
Along with the 0.00 ERA for the weekend, the Tigers struck out 28 batters and Baylor only managed a .098 batting average in the series.
The sweep was the first by either team in the all-time series.
MU OFF TO BEST EVER START
At 18-2, the Tigers hold their best ever record after 20 games. Mizzou has been 17-3 five times (1954, 1964, 1976, 1982 and 1985), but has never won 18 of its first 20 games.