Tigers Fall to No. 22 MSU in Extras, 3-2
4/18/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
April 18, 2014
Final Stats | Notes
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Keaton Steele (St. Joseph, Mo.) was strong in relief on Friday (April 18) night, striking out seven batters in four innings but surrendering the winning run in the top of the 11th inning as Mizzou (17-19, 6-10) fell to No. 22 Mississippi State (24-15, 8-8) 3-2 at Taylor Stadium. Brett Graves (St. Charles, Mo.) was solid again, allowing two runs in seven innings, striking out three and walking none in his start. Graves has gone seven innings on the mound in all five home starts, and he walked no batters for the second start this season.
Kendall Keeton (Columbia, Tenn.) put the Tigers on top 1-0 in the third inning, a sacrifice fly to left field to score Eric Anderson (Highlands Ranch, Colo.). Anderson was strong again as the Mizzou leadoff man, going 2-for-5 with a double and a run scored in the contest. He has reached base in the first inning 17 times in 26 chances as the leadoff man for the Tigers. Logan Pearson (Bentonville, Ark.) hit his first triple of the season in the extra-inning contest, finishing 2-for-4 with a walk on the day. The Tigers have gone to extras in each of their last two home Friday games.
Graves and Mississippi State starter Trevor Fitts were strong through the first two innings, combining to allow only two hits. The Tigers struck in the bottom of the third, though, as Keeton's sacrifice fly to left brought in Anderson for a 1-0 edge and chased Fitts from the game in favor of Jacob Lindgren, who closed out the inning. MSU battled back, pushing two runners across with a two-out RBI double by Gavin Collins to take a 2-1 lead.
Anderson walked in the bottom of the fifth, the first Tiger hitter to reach base off Lindgren, but he was left stranded on second in the frame. Mizzou tied it at two in the sixth, taking advantage of three walks and a wild pitch to force Lindgren out of the game and bring in Jonathan Holder. Dylan Kelly (Roswell, Ga.) legged out an infield single in the bottom of the seventh, the only baserunner of the frame for the home squad.
Steele entered to pitch for Mizzou in the eighth, fanning two in a scoreless frame. Pearson reached to start the bottom of the inning, and Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) also walked but both were left stranded to keep the game tied into the ninth inning. The Bulldogs threatened in the top of the ninth, getting a walk and a single off Steele, but the senior responded with a fielder's choice and a strikeout against Derrick Armstrong to end the threat, keeping the game tied.
Josh Lester (Columbus, Ga.) poked a single through the right side to lead off the bottom of the frame, but he was left stranded as the game went to extras. Steele remained strong, tallying another 1-2-3 inning in the 10th and finishing with a strikeout, his sixth in three innings. The Bulldogs jumped on top in the 11th, with C.T. Bradford singling in Seth Heck for a 3-2 lead. The Tigers went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 11th, sealing the win for the Bulldogs.
Mizzou and Mississippi State meet again Saturday (April 19) at 2 p.m. Keep up with Mizzou baseball by following the team on Twitter (@MizzouBaseball) or checking in to MUTigers.com.
