April 1, 2014

Box Score |  Notes

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - A two-run ninth inning for Southern Illinois (15-12) proved to be the difference, as Mizzou (13-14) dropped the midweek contest to the Salukis by a 4-2 final on Tuesday (April 1) night at Lindenwood University's Lou Brock Complex. The loss erased a strong outing from Breckin Williams (Oronogo, Mo.), who threw 2.2 out of the pen including a clutch strikeout to end the fourth inning, leaving the bases stranded and the game tied at one. Peter Fairbanks (St. Louis, Mo.) made his fourth start of the season, holding the opponent to one run or fewer for the third time. His ERA as a starter now sits at 3.14.

Eric Anderson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) provided a spark for the Tigers on offense, launching a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first over the wall in left. The longball was the second of the season for him and the team's fifth. Shane Segovia (Sinton, Texas) had the Tigers' only other RBI, a two-out RBI single to center to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fifth before leaving with an apparent hand injury. Mizzou stranded 10 runners on base in the contest, and Keaton Steele (St. Charles, Mo.) took the loss for Mizzou, dropping to 0-4 on the year.

Fairbanks threw a scoreless first inning, working around a throwing error that put a runner on second with one out. Anderson put Mizzou on top in the bottom of the frame, launching a leadoff bomb over the fence in left for a 1-0 lead after the first. A leadoff triple for the Salukis in the top of the second then had SIU threatening to tie, but Fairbanks responded with two strikeouts and a groundout to hold them off the board. Three straight singles loaded the bases with one down for the top of the order in the bottom of the inning, but the Tigers couldn't push a run across.

SIU tied the game in the top of the third, capitalizing on a two-out RBI single to right field to knot the game at one run apiece. Mizzou threatened in the bottom of the frame with Kendall Keeton (Columbia, Tenn.) and Dylan Kelly (Roswell, Ga.) in scoring position and no outs, but they were left stranded after two pop ups to short and a groundout. The Salukis loaded the bases in the top of the fourth with two outs as Fairbanks gave way to Williams, who struck out the hitter to get out of the inning. Mizzou regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a triple from Keeton and a two-out RBI single from Segovia to center for a 2-1 edge after five.

Austin Tribby (Springfield, Mo.) entered in the seventh, taking over for Williams and allowing one run to tie the game at two in his SEC-leading 19th mound appearance on the season. Steele took over on the mound after a scoreless eighth, allowing the go-ahead run on a one-out single to center to give SIU a 3-2 lead. The Salukis tacked on another run in the frame, producing the 4-2 final score.

Mizzou and Illinois are slated to play at Busch Stadium on Wednesday (April 2) at 6:30 p.m. For all the latest on Mizzou baseball, follow the team on Twitter (@MizzouBaseball) or check in to MUTigers.com.