University of Missouri
Alabama
Tigers Fall on Friday Night at Alabama
5/10/2013 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 10, 2013
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The Mizzou baseball team lost, 9-7, on Friday night (May 10) at Alabama. The Tide got a leadoff homer from Kenny Roberts and then scored seven runs off of four Tiger pitchers in the seventh inning and then held off a late charge as they dropped Mizzou to 15-29 and 7-18 in SEC play. Redshirt junior Eric Anderson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) started his second consecutive game and went 5.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits while striking out three. It was his longest outing since March 2, 2012, against Ball State and was the first time he went at least 5.0 innings with two or fewer runs since Feb. 24, 2012, at San Francisco as he continues to rebound from Tommy John surgery, but he was tagged with the loss.
Anderson did his best to keep Mizzou in the game as Alabama carried just a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning, but the Tide scored seven runs in the frame, at one point tallying six straight hits, as they went on top, 9-0. Righty Charlie Sullivan got the win, his fifth of the season, as he went 7.0 innings, allowing no earned runs on just five hits while striking out seven against just two walks. Offensively, Mizzou was led by junior Dillon Everett (Phoenix, Ariz.), who matched a career-high three hits, including two doubles. Freshman Josh Lester (Columbus, Ga.) also went 2-for-5 with a pair of RBI in the loss. The Tigers scored five in the eighth and two in the ninth, but Lester struck out with the bases loaded as the rally fell just short in the ninth.
Despite getting the first two outs quickly in the top of the first, Mizzou really grinded against Sullivan, seeing 23 pitches in the first inning. Dane Opel (Edwardsville, Ill.) singled up the middle with two outs and then Keaton Steele (St. Joseph, Mo.) drew a two-out walk in front of Dylan Kelly (Roswell, Ga.) to put two men on. But Kelly grounded out softly to third to end the threat, sending the game to the bottom of the first.
Anderson, making his first Friday night start since March 9 of last season, worked to a 0-2 count Roberts, but Roberts put a fastball over the wall in left field for his fourth homer of the season and Alabama's first leadoff homer since Feb. 19, 2011, against Alcorn State. Anderson continued to struggle from there as he allowed four hits and two walks in the first, but he got two big strikeouts to get out of the first, surrendering just two runs as Alabama took a 2-0 lead to the second.
Mizzou got its first two runners aboard in the top of the second after a Shane Segovia (Sinton, Texas) walk and a Lester single. But Segovia was picked off of second base on a missed bunt by Kendall Keeton (Columbia, Tenn.) and then Keeton hit into a 5-4-3 double play to end the inning.
After Anderson worked a quick second, Everett led off the third with a double to right center and he was advanced to third on a productive out by Pearson, but Case Munson (St. Charles, Mo.) struck out after working a 3-1 count and then Opel flied out to center to strand Everett on third.
Anderson was lifted in the sixth inning in favor of Jake Walsh (Plano, Texas) as he went 5.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out three. His two walks and four of his seven hits came in the first inning as he settled in and kept Mizzou in the game. The start was Anderson's longest outing since March 2, 2012, against Ball State and was the first time he went at least 5.0 innings with two or fewer runs since Feb. 24, 2012, at San Francisco as he continues to rebound from Tommy John surgery.
But Sullivan stayed in a rhythm and Alabama added seven more runs in the bottom of the seventh inning as Mizzou used four pitchers in the frame as at one point, Mizzou gave up six straight hits in the inning. Mizzou attempted to rally with a big inning of its own as it scored five runs in the eighth, two on a two-out single by Lester and another on an RBI hit by Jake Ivory (St. Charles, Mo.). The Tigers loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth and got a run on a wild pitch from Ray Castillo and another on a bases-loaded walk by Segovia. Lester then came up with a chance to tie the game, but he struck out on a check swing to end the game.
Mizzou and Alabama will play again tomorrow at 1 p.m. For all the latest on Mizzou baseball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MUTigerBaseball.
