University of Missouri
Gonzaga
Mizzou Falls to Gonzaga, 9-3
2/21/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 21, 2009
PHOENIX, Ariz. - - A day after scoring 12 runs in its season opener, the Mizzou baseball team found it a little more difficult on Saturday as it fell to Gonzaga by a score of 9-3 at the Grand Canyon Classic in Phoenix, Ariz.
The Tigers managed just three runs on six hits in Saturday's contest. Two of those runs and three of the hits came in the ninth inning.
"We made too many mistakes in the first half of the game," Head Coach Tim Jamieson said. "Everything we did right last night, we didn't do today."
Gonzaga scored one run in each of the first two innings to take an early 2-0 lead. Senior Ian Berger then retired nine straight batters before a five-run bottom of the fifth inning for the Bulldogs extended the lead to 7-0. The five runs in the inning were aided by a pair of Tiger errors, along with five Gonzaga hits, including a two-run triple by Ernesto Ortiz.
Gonzaga added two runs in the sixth inning, with both runs scoring on a single by Jason Chatwood.
The Tigers did not record their first hit of the game until a double by junior Aaron Senne in the fourth inning. Their second hit came in the sixth inning when senior Ryan Lollis singled to drive in MU's first run of the game. The third hit was a single by sophomore Andrew Thigpen in the seventh.
In the ninth inning, the Tigers go back-to-back hits from a pair of pinch hitters. Sophomore Jonah Schmidt doubled to drive in Mizzou's second run of the game and sophomore Ryan Ampleman singled. Later in the inning, freshman Conner Mach drove in a run with a double off the leftfield wall.
Berger pitched five innings allowing seven runs on seven hits. Only three of the seven runs were earned. He stuck out three and did not walk a batter.
The Tigers will conclude play in the Grand Canyon Classic with two games on Sunday. They will face Nevada at 11 a.m. CT (10 a.m. MT) before taking on Gonzaga at 2 p.m. CT (1 p.m. MT).
