University of Missouri
UIC
Baseball Falls in Rubber Match to UIC
3/6/2011 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 6, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Mizzou baseball team dropped the rubber match of a three-game series with Illinois-Chicago, 5-1, on Sunday (March 6) at Taylor Stadium. UIC scored four runs in a two-inning stretch, adding another in the ninth while riding a near complete game from starter Matt Heaslip, who threw 8.2 innings of one-run baseball en-route to the win. Jeff Scardino (Tulsa, Okla.) was on the losing end of the decision for the Tigers after firing 4.2 innings and allowing four earned runs. Mizzou drops to 3-7 on the season with the loss.
The Tigers started strong, earning a run in the bottom of the second when first baseman Scott Sommerfeld (Manchester, Mo.) notched a base hit to right ride field, which scored designated hitter Dane Opel (Edwardsville, Ill.) for his third RBI of the season. But that was the only offense that the Tigers could generate all game. Senior Jonah Schmidt (St. Louis, Mo.) led the Tiger bats with two hits on the day, but Mizzou only tallied seven hits in the contest.
Scardino started things off with three strong scoreless innings against the Flames. Of his 37 pitches in the first three innings, 26 were strikes and he faced the minimum amount of batters through the first three frames. But the Flames started connecting in the top of the fourth when UIC third baseman Jason Ganek hit a single to short. That started a stretch of five straight singles for the Flames off of Scardino, giving UIC a 3-1 lead.
Mizzou tried to rally back in the bottom of the fourth, but stranded three runners on the bases. UIC's hot bats continued into the fifth when Steve McGuiggan reached first on a short fly ball over second base. Ganek followed with a double to left field, allowing McGuiggan to score, putting the Flames up 4-1. They pitched in an insurance run in the ninth as well.
Senior lefty Phil McCormick (St. Louis, Mo.) pitched in relief of Scardino in the game, making his team-leading seventh appearance in 10 games this season. He fired 2.1 innings of three-hit baseball while allowing just one run. Dusty Ross (Iowa Park, Texas) also pitched in relief of Scardino, throwing 2.0 innings of scoreless baseball while allowing just two hits.
Heaslip proved to be a nemesis for the Tigers, allowing only seven hits in 8.2 innings on 143 pitches, 101 of which were strikes. Missouri seemed to lose momentum after the fifth, when its offense stalled. In fact, Heaslip retired 12 straight batters at one point. Mizzou will be back in action for a two-game midweek series with West Coast Conference foe Gonzaga on Tuesday and Wednesday. The first game of the series will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Taylor Stadium.
For all the latest on Mizzou baseball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MUTigerBaseball.
