Mizzou Concludes Road Trip with ASU DeMarini Invitational
2/25/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
Feb. 25, 2009
MIZZOU AT ASU DeMARINI INVITATIONAL
Date: February 26-March 1, 2009
Location: Tempe, Ariz.
MU Schedule:
Thur. vs. Arizona St. 7:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. MT)
Fri. vs. Oregon St. 2 p.m CT (1 p.m. MT)
Sat. vs. N. Illinois 2 p.m CT (1 p.m. MT)
Sun. vs. Arizona St. 2:30 p.m. CT (1:30 p.m MT)
Stadium: Packard Stadium
Capacity: 3,879
Radio: KTGR 1580-AM
Live Audio: KTGR.com
Live Gametracker: mutigers.com
More Information: mutigers.com
FIRST PITCH
Mizzou's nine-game, 11-day trip to the Phoenix area will conclude with this weekend's ASU DeMarini Invitational at Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz. The Tigers will open the tournament against Arizona State at 7:30 p.m. (central time) on Thursday. They will then take on Oregon State at 2 p.m. on Friday, Northern Illinois at 2 p.m. on Saturday and Arizona State at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. After winning its season opener against Nevada on Feb. 20, MU has lost its last four games and stands at 1-4 heading into this weekend's DeMarini Invitational. On Tuesday, the Tigers fell to Arizona State by a score of 3-1. Mizzou is ranked No. 15 in this week's Baseball America poll. Arizona State is No. 8 in that poll and is as high as No. 4 in Collegiate Baseball's Top 30. Following this weekend's action, Missouri will return to Columbia for its home opener against Western Illinois at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4.
MIZZOU STARTING PITCHERS
Kyle Gibson (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 6.0 IP, 6 K, 3 BB)
Kyle Gibson won his first start of the season, the Tigers' season opener against Nevada on Feb. 20. Gibson stuck out six and walked three in six innings pitched. He allowed just one unearned run to Nevada. Gibson entered the season as a Preseason All-American pick by Baseball America and Collegiate Baseball. Gibson is a two-time All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection. Last year, he was 9-4 with a 3.94 ERA and 96 strikeouts.
Ian Berger (0-1, 5.40 ERA, 5.0 IP, 3 K, 0 BB)
Ian Berger pitched five innings against Gonzaga on Feb. 21 in his first start of the year. He allowed seven runs on seven hits. Only three of the seven runs allowed were earned. He struck out three and did not walk a batter. After Gonzaga scored one run in each of the first two innings, Berger retired nine straight batters between the second and fifth innings. Berger started 14 times last season, finishing the year 4-5. At one point during the 2008 season, he put together a string of 26.1 scoreless innings pitched.
Kelly Fick (0-1, 6.00 ERA, 6.0 IP, 5 K, 0 BB)
In his first start of the season, Kelly Fick struck out five in six innings pitched against Nevada on Feb. 22. He did not walk a batter and allowed four runs (all earned) on nine hits. Fick pitched in 13 games as a freshman in 2008, starting three times. His first collegiate win came against Lincoln on April 2, 2008 at Taylor Stadium.
Nick Tepesch (0-1, 13.50 ERA, 4.0 IP, 5 K, 0 BB)
Nick Tepesch struck out five and did not walk a batter in his first start of the season against Gonzaga on Feb. 22. He allowed nine runs, six earned, on 11 hits in four innings pitched. Tepesch pitched in 22 games for Missouri in 2008, starting once, and was part of two combined shutouts on the year. He was second on the team with four saves on the season.
SERIES HISTORY
Mizzou has an all-time record of 2-3 against Arizona State after ASU defeated the Tigers, 3-1 this past Tuesday. The series with the Sun Devils includes a meeting in the 1964 College World Series. The Tigers won that game, 7-0, on their way to a runner-up finish in the CWS. Missouri and Arizona State faced off in 2007, splitting two games that year. Arizona State defeated MU 7-1 at Packard Stadium, before the Tigers picked up a 3-2 win over ASU in the Coca-Cola Classic in Surprise, Ariz. Also part of that season's Coca-Coal Classic was Oregon State, which defeated MU, 7-2. OSU has won each of its two all-time meetings with Mizzou. This will be the first ever matchup between Mizzou and Northern Illinois.
IN THE POLLS
Missouri fell to No. 15 in this week's Baseball America Top 25, after being ranked No. 10 in the preseason poll. The Tigers fell out of the Collegiate Baseball poll and NCBWA poll.
JAMIESON TIED FOR SECOND PLACE ON MU'S ALL-TIME WINS LIST
With Missouri's win over Nevada last Friday, Head Coach Tim Jamieson moved into a tie for second on Mizzou's all-time wins list. Entering this weekend, Jamieson is 481-332-2 in his 15th year as the Tigers' head coach. His 481 wins are tied with 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.
UP NEXT
Missouri will open its home schedule on Wednesday, March 4 as Western Illinois visits Taylor Stadium for a 6:30 first pitch. That game is the first of a six-game homestand. Ball State will be in Columbia for a four-game series March 6-8 and Western Illinois returns on March 11.
