March 17, 2009
MIZZOU vs. SIU-EDWARDSVILLE
MARCH 18, 2009 • COLUMBIA, MO.
| First Pitch | 6:30 p.m. |
| Location | Taylor Stadium |
| Radio | KTGR 1580-AM / KTGR.com |
| Live Video | mutigers.com |
| Gametracker | mutigers.com |
| Ticket Info | All Tickets Only $1 |
FIRST PITCH
Missouri returns to Taylor Stadium on Wednesday as it opens a six-game homestand with a contest against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for Wednesday's game are available for just $1. The Tigers are 8-10 on the year, while SIUE enters the game with a 2-9 record. Following Wednesday's matchup with Southern Illinois-Edwardsville, Mizzou will welcome Texas A&M to Columbia this weekend. The three-game series with the Aggies will get underway at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. After games on Saturday and Sunday with Texas A&M, Missouri will host Illinois-Chicago for a pair of games next Tuesday and Wednesday at Taylor Stadium. Mizzou opened Big 12 Conference play last weekend in Austin, Texas. After winning the opener against UT, the Tigers dropped the next two games. Junior Kyle Gibson was named the Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week and the NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week after he picked up his first career shutout on Saturday over Texas.
GIBSON NAMED BIG 12 AND NATIONAL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
On Monday, Mizzou junior Kyle Gibson was named the Big 12 Conference Pitcher of the Week. It was his second career Conference Pitcher of the Week honor. Then on Tuesday, he was selected as the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Pro-Line Athletic National Pitcher of the Week. Gibson improved to 3-1 on the season after picking up his first career shutout in MU's series opener with Texas last Saturday in Austin. Gibson struck out 11 batters and gave up six hits in nine innings pitched, as the Tigers defeated Texas, 2-0. The complete-game was the first nine-inning complete game for Gibson, who has had two seven-inning complete games in his career. Gibson has an ERA of 0.90 on the year, which is fourth best in the Big 12. He ranks second in the conference with 38 strikeouts in 30.0 innings pitched.
TEPESCH TURNS IN CAREER-LONG OUTING AT TEXAS
Sophomore Nick Tepesch has set a new career-high in innings pitched in each of his last three outings. He pitched 6.1 innings against Arizona State on March 1, giving up just one run on six hits and striking out a career-best eight. The following week, Tepesch picked up his first win of the season as turned in 6.2 innings pitched against Ball State, setting a new career high with 12 strikeouts. Last week, at Texas, Tepesch pitched eight innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and striking out four. He left the game with the lead, but took a no decision. Tepesch has struck out 29 batters in 25.0 innings pitched this season and is 1-1 with an ERA of 5.04.
LOLLIS LEADS THE TIGERS AT THE PLATE
Through the early stretch of the season, senior Ryan Lollis has been one the Tigers' most consistent performer. Lollis is hitting .292 and has a team-best 15 RBI. He has recorded a hit in 14 of Missouri's 18 games and has had two three-hit games (against Gonzaga on Feb. 22 and against Western Illinois on March 4). Lollis had an eight-game hitting streak from Feb. 22-March 6. He has three doubles, one triple and had a home run against Gonzaga. On March 4, Lollis drove in three runs, going 3-for-4 against Western Illinois. He also scored three runs against WIU. Lollis was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in last June's Major League Baseball Draft, but passed up a chance to turn professional to return to MU.
SENNE IS A HIT FOR MIZZOU
Junior Aaron Senne has recorded at least one hit in 11 of the last 12 games and is hitting .333 on the season. Senne had a seven-game hitting streak from Feb. 27-March 7. He carries a four-game hitting streak into Wednesday's game with SIUE. Last season, Senne led the Tigers with a .347 batting average, with 13 home runs and 14 doubles.
HICKS MOVES UP MISSOURI'S ALL-TIME SAVES LIST
Senior Scooter Hicks picked up saves in three-straight appearances, March 1-8. His three saves on the season give him 14 for his career, which places him in a tie for fourth place all-time at Missouri. Hicks is tied with Jeff Cornell (1976-78) on the all-time career saves list at MU and is two behind third-place Travis Wendte (2002-06). Scott Black holds the MU record with 19 career saves (1987-90). Hicks had six saves in his first year at Missouri (2007), which tied for 10th on MU's single season saves list. He recorded five last year.
JAMIESON MOVES INTO SECOND PLACE ON MU'S ALL-TIME WINS LIST
With Missouri's win over Arizona State on March 1, Head Coach Tim Jamieson moved into second place on Mizzou's all-time wins list. Jamieson is 488-339-2 in his 15th year as the Tigers' head coach. His 488 wins put him ahead of legendary former head coach John "Hi" Simmons. Simmons compiled a record of 481-294-3 from 1937-1973, while Gene McArtor is the all-time winningest coach at Missouri with a record of 733-430-3 from 1974-1994. Jamieson, who served as an assistant coach under McArtor from 1988-94, has led the Tigers to seven NCAA Regionals, including each of the last six and is a two-time Conference Coach of the Year. Last fall, the University of Missouri extended Jamieson's contract, keeping him in the MU dugout through at least the 2013 season. With the retirement of Texas Tech's Larry Hays last summer, Jamieson and Baylor coach Steve Smith are now the longest tenured coaches in the Big 12 Conference, as each is in his 15th year as head coach of the respective programs.
ON THE AIR
Once again this year, KTGR 1580-AM is the radio home of the Tigers. All of Mizzou's regular season and postseason games will air on KTGR 1580-AM in Columbia. The games can also be heard online at KTGR.com. Tex Little is in his 19th season of calling Tiger Baseball and is joined in the booth by Hudson Guthrie, who returns for his second year as part of the Tigers' broadcast team.
ALL-ACCESS
Video webcast for all Missouri Baseball home games in 2009 is available at mutigers.com as part of Mizzou All-Access. All-Access is the Tiger fans home to live and archived games for Mizzou Athletics, along with coaches' shows, press conferences and much more. For more information, visit mutigers.com and click on the All-Access icon.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will host Texas A&M in a three-game series this weekend in Columbia to open the home portion of the conference schedule. Game one is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday, with games to follow at 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday. Next week, Illinois-Chicago will be at Taylor Stadium for a pair of games March 24-25.