| Game | Location | Day/Time (CT) | Media |
|---|---|---|---|
| at Texas A&M Corpus Christi | Corpus Christi, Texas | Thursday // 6 p.m. (CT) | Live Stats | Video |
| vs. Sam Houston State | Corpus Christi, Texas | Friday // 3 p.m. (CT) | Live Stats | Video |
| at Texas A&M Corpus Christi | Corpus Christi, Texas | Saturday // 7 p.m. (CT) | Live Stats | Video |
| vs. Purdue | Corpus Christi, Texas | Sunday // 11 a.m. (CT) | Live Stats | Video |
Leading Off - Tweetables About the Weekend
• At 4-0, Mizzou is off to its best start in more than a decade as it has won its first four games for the first time since 2004. The Tigers are coming off a four-game series sweep of Iona, their first four-game sweep since 2008 against Toledo.
• Mizzou leads the SEC in strikeout-walk ratio after the opening weekend of play, averaging 6.5 strikeouts per every walk (39-6). Mizzou's 39 strikeouts lead the SEC and the Tigers are the only SEC team to not allow a double this season.
• Mizzou, after swiping just 40 bases in 2014, leads the SEC in stolen bases after one week with 12.
• Junior righty Peter Fairbanks will start game one of the weekend for the second consecutive week for the first time in his career. He went 6.0 innings, allowing just one earned run with a career-high nine strikeouts last weekend.
• Reigning SEC Pitcher of the Week Reggie McClain will start game two. He leads the SEC in innings (8.0), strikeouts (10), walks allowed (0), pickoffs (2) and is third among SEC starters in opponent average.
• Freshman Tanner Houck will start game three after earning his first career win last weekend.
• Junior righty Alec Rash will start game four. He allowed just three hits last weekend, but walked 4.
RECAPPING LAST WEEKEND
Mizzou earned a four-game sweep of Iona and sits alone atop the SEC East standings after one week at 4-0. The Tigers and Gaels played a four-game, neutral site series at the USA Baseball Complex in Cary, N.C., playing a pair of doubleheaders - one Friday and one Saturday. Junior Josh Lester drew a walk-off walk in game one of the series as the Tigers rallied for a 4-3 win. In the nightcap on Friday, junior righty Reggie McClain tossed 8.0 shutout innings, striking out 10 while walking none with just three base hits as he helped Mizzou to a 1-0 win. Mizzou's offense awoke on Saturday, winning 6-3 in game three of the series and 14-2 in a run-rule triumph to complete the sweep in game four.
TIGERS OFF TO BEST START SINCE 2004
With their 4-0 mark on the young season, the Tigers are off to the best start by a Mizzou team since 2004 when the team won its first six games of that season. The 2004 team went on to win 38 games, qualifying for its second consecutive NCAA Regional.
TIGERS LEAD SEC IN K/BB RATIO
Following one weekend of play, Mizzou leads the SEC in strikeout-walk ratio at 6.5-1 (39 strikeouts, only six walks). Mizzou's 39 Ks are tied for the SEC-lead with Arkansas while the six walks are the second-fewest allowed by an SEC team thus far in 2015, despite Mizzou pitching the second-most innings of any team in the SEC. Of course, Mizzou finished the season ranked in the top 10 nationally in K/BB ratio a season ago and looks to be on pace for another great season in that department. Of Mizzou's 10 pitchers to see action against Iona, seven did not walk a batter and nine of 10 walked one or fewer during the weekend. Of Mizzou's 102 outs recorded last week, 39 were via the strikeout (38-percent). 12 of the 39 strikeouts were of the looking variety, also an SEC-best.
MCCLAIN EARNS SEC HONOR
Junior RHP Reggie McClain was named SEC Pitcher of the Week, as announced by the league on Monday (Feb. 16). McClain earned the weekly conference honor after tossing 8.0 shutout innings in a 1-0 win over Iona, striking out 10 batters against zero walks. It is McClain's first SEC weekly honor and he is the first Tiger to earn SEC Pitcher of the Week honors since March 31 of last season when Keaton Steele earned the distinction.
McClain was outstanding in his first Division I start in game two of the series against Iona, tossing 8.0 shutout innings while allowing just three hits and no walks with a career-high 10 strikeouts in a 1-0 victory in game two of a doubleheader, earning his first Division I win. It was arguably the best start of the weekend by any SEC pitcher during opening weekend as he was the only pitcher in the league to go at least 8.0 innings with 10 or more strikeouts while allowing fewer than four hits. He leads the SEC in innings pitched, wins, strikeouts, ERA, pickoffs, walks allowed and is third among starters in opponent batting average.
Amazingly, McClain allowed only three baserunners and he picked two of them off of the base paths in his start. All three hits against him Friday were singles and the only player to reach second base against him was sacrificed over before McClain picked him off of second base. He is the first Tiger to post 10 strikeouts in a start since then-senior Eric Anderson did so at Kentucky in a Friday night win in Lexington on April 11 (22 game span).
THIEVERY
Heading into the season, Mizzou did not have what you would call a 'running reputation' after stealing just 40 bases a season ago. But Mizzou exploded for 12 steals on 13 attempts in the opening weekend, a mark that leads the SEC by four (Alabama is the next-closest team with eight). It took Mizzou 12 games last season to get 12 steals, a feat it has accomplished in just four games this season. Eight different Tigers had steals in the series, including a team-high three from senior Brett Peel, who had just two all of last season. In fact, Peel is nearly halfway to Mizzou's top steal mark from a season ago (8 by Kendall Keeton).
HARLEY TIME
Junior righty Breckin Williams was arguably the Tigers' most valuable pitcher over the weekend as he picked up the win in game one of the series before earning saves in games two and three, pitching in three games over two days. His two saves on the year already equal his total from a season ago. Williams struck out five against no walks and just one hit.
LAVY SPREADS HITS
Junior Zach Lavy enters the weekend on a two-game hitting streak and while that is not earth-shattering, what he has done over those two games is quite impressive. The Auxvasse, Mo., native has tallied seven hits in those two games, including a four-hit outburst in game four against Iona. Calling Lavy a threat for a breakout season may be an understatement as he had just 11 hits all of last season in 21 games. In four games this season, he already has eight hits.
LESTER LEADS SEC IN WALKS
Junior Josh Lester drew five walks in four games over the opening weekend of play, tying him for the SEC lead in that category. Of course, no walk was bigger than his third walk of the season-opener as he drew a bases-loaded pass on an 11-pitch AB after falling behind 0-2 to bring in the game-winning run. His three walks in that game are tied for the most in a single game by any SEC player this season. He's ninth in the SEC with six RBIs.
HOWARD DROPS BOMB
Sophomore shortstop Ryan Howard showed why he is primed for a breakout season during the opening weekend of play. In addition to blasting his first homer of the season, Howard hit .400 with 11 total bases and three extra-base hits, the latter two of which are both team-bests. He also drove in four runs on the weekend. He is currently sixth in the SEC in total bases with 11.
NEW BALL NOTE
Last season, SEC teams averaged 6.6 runs per game with 21 homers during opening weekend. This season, SEC teams averaged 9.16 runs per game and had 34 total homers.
RECRUITNG CLASS IS GOOD
The 2014 Mizzou baseball freshman class earned a pair of top-25 national rankings as Baseball America tabbed the class 12th nationally while Perfect Game slotted the Tigers at No. 22. Mizzou now ranks in the top 31 in all of the major recruiting rankings after being ranked No. 31 by Collegiate Baseball with an average rank of No. 22 nationally. The No. 12 ranking in Baseball America is the best for the Tigers since 2007, when the team checked in at No. 11.
In the Baseball America rankings, the Tigers check in at 12th nationally and fifth in the Southeastern Conference. The 14-player class has two players - Bryce Montes De Oca (72) and Shane Benes (400) - that ranked among the top 400 recruits according to the publication. Montes De Oca was the third-highest ranked prospect to enter Division I this season. Baseball America described the class as `a frontline SEC-caliber class' and the publication goes on to tout the the pitchers in the 2014 class as all very projectable at the next level. In the Perfect Game rankings, Mizzou checks in at No. 22 nationally and ninth in the SEC.
NEW COACHES
Mizzou head baseball coach Tim Jamieson announced that Mizzou graduate and former Tiger All-American Hunter Mense has been promoted and will serve as the program's full time hitting coach. Mense, one of the brightest young minds in college baseball, had a very successful playing career both collegiately and at the next level. He has served as an undergraduate and graduate assistant over the last four seasons while completing his undergraduate degree and working towards his Master's degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis in sport psychology at Mizzou.
During his last four years with Mizzou baseball, Mense established a great rapport with the Tiger hitters and also used his schooling in the field of sport psychology to work as a positive coach, assisting in the mental side of the Tigers' approach. With a pair of degrees and an All-America honor, Mense is a truly Mizzou Made addition to the Tiger coaching staff.
Coach Jamieson will now handle the pitchers, a role that has been a specialty for the Tiger skipper, who has mentored the likes of American League Cy Young winner Max Scherzer and other current Major Leaguers Aaron Crow (Royals), Kyle Gibson (Twins), Nick Tepesch (Rangers) and Matt Stites (Diamondbacks). Scherzer, Crow and Gibson were all first-round draft picks under Jamieson's tutelage. Crow was an All-Star pick for the Royals and Gibson was been one of the best pitchers for the Twins last season.
Additionally, former Tiger catcher Trevor Coleman has returned to Mizzou to serve as a graduate assistant manager. He was a freshman All-American and Big 12 Freshman of the Year during his playing days with the Tigers and will work with the Tiger hitters and catchers.
A LOOK AT THIS YEAR'S COMPETITION
Mizzou has put together a very competitive schedule in 2014. Most of that is due to the Tigers' SEC slate, which should bring plenty of excitement to Taylor Stadium. In fact, Mizzou plays 19 games, including six weekend series against teams that qualified for NCAA Regional action a season ago. Mizzou will also play weekend series against College World Series qualifiers Vanderbilt and Ole Miss. Of course, Vanderbilt won the NCAA Championship a season ago.
Looking deeper into the schedule, Mizzou is 150-136 all-time against this year's scheduled opponents.
LESTER, BONE WIN SUMMER LEAGUES
Two Mizzou baseball players - Josh Lester and Logan Bone - won championships with their respective Summer League teams last summer. Lester and the Y-D Red Sox won the Cape Cod League, which is often recognized as the top summer ball league on Aug. 15. Bone and the Quincy Gems also won the 2014 Prospect League Championship on Aug. 13.
Starting in the Cape, Lester hit .280 over eight games in the playoffs, notching a double, five runs and an RBI. He helped the Red Sox to a 10-4 win over Falmouth in game two of the championship series, completing the sweep. Lester hit .279 in 40 regular season games as well, notching four doubles while driving in 14 and scoring 16 runs. He also was second on the team with 15 walks.
Moving to the Prospects League, Bone played in 33 games from the Gems and hit .239 with a pair of doubles and a homer while scoring 13 runs and driving in 13 more. He had three runs and an RBI in the playoffs while playing in all six games.
Ks FOR K9s
The Mizzou baseball team has partnered with the Puppies With Purpose program for the 2015 season in an effort to help raise money for Columbia service dogs. The initiative, dubbed "K's for K9's," will allow fans to pledge a donation amount to be paid per strikeout during the 2015 season.
"I'm a dog lover," head coach Tim Jamieson said. "I've read more and more about dogs and actually researched whether or not there were places in Missouri that train dogs for this purpose and ironically find out that there's one in Columbia and one on Mizzou's campus. So it seemed like it was a really good fit and I introduced it to our players and they are really excited about it."
DETTMER INDUCTED INTO MIZZOU HOF
Former Mizzou standout John Dettmer will be inducted into the Mizzou Athletics Hall of Fame this year. Mizzou's all-time career strikeout leader who was durable in addition to his flame-throwing achievements for hall of fame Coach Gene McArtor...Won honorable mention All-American honors in 1991 when he turned in one of the top individual pitching seasons in MU history... Won nine games that year, and struck out 127 batters in 120.0 innings while leading the team with a 2.63 earned run average in a time where bats were very lively... Finished his Tiger career with 374 strikeouts, which stands still as the most in program history, while his 332.0 career innings pitched ranks second to this day, and his 23 career wins are also eighth-most... Won All-Big Eight first-team honors in 1990, 1991 and 1992, as he led the Tigers in strikeouts each year, with 99, 127 and 123, respectively... Turned in 15 complete games during his career as he was a durable and dependable presence on the mound... Went on to become an 11th-round draft pick in the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft by the Texas Rangers, and eventually pitched in 12 games in the Majors.
LLWS CONNECTION
For most little league players, the Little League World Series is the pinnacle. No Mizzou player knows that better than junior Josh Lester. Lester's team won the Little League World Series in 2006. He was even interviewed by Erin Andrews after winning the whole thing. His team kept that core group of players intact and went on to win three Georgia State Championships in high school.
TV SLATE
Mizzou baseball will be televised nine times through the Southeastern Conference and ESPN's television package this season, including three contests at Taylor Stadium. The television slate was announced Tuesday (Jan. 20) by the SEC league office. The nine games are more than double the amount of Mizzou games that were slated for national television last season. In all, the Tigers' nine TV games will all air on SEC Network with 38 additional SEC Network+ games on the schedule. All nine Mizzou games featured on the SEC Network will be against preseason top-25 competition.
ON THE AIR
Once again this year, KTGR ESPN Radio is the radio home of the Tigers, with all of the game being broadcast on 103.1-FM, 100.5-FM and 1580-AM. The games can also be heard online at KTGR.com. Tex Little is in his 25th season of calling Tiger Baseball and is joined in the booth by SID Shawn Davis for road games and Sean Hamel for home games.
FRANCIS HOWELL CONNECTION
This year, the Mizzou baseball roster features three players that have played together for quite sometime. Case Munson, Jake Ivory and Brett Peel all played high school ball for Francis Howell in St. Charles, Mo., winning a state championship together during their senior season.
NEW FACILITY FOR TIGERS
As the Mizzou baseball program continues its transition into the SEC, the Mizzou Department of Athletics made a major commitment to the program by spending $4 million on a new facility, including a new locker room, coaches offices and improved seating at Taylor Stadium. The new facility is one of the best baseball facilities in the nation and will give players all they need to succeed on site. A state-of-the-art lockerroom, modeled after many big league lockerrooms, along with a team room, an auditorium and training room have been added on site at Taylor Stadium. Also, increased bleachers have been added down the LF line and the old bucket seats have been replaced with new seat-back stadium seats in order to help with the comfort of fans. It officially opened to the public last May in a grand opening ceremony.
UP NEXT
Mizzou heads to Corpus Christi, Texas for a four-game tournament next weekend. For all the latest on Mizzou baseball, stay tuned to MUTiger.com and follow the team on twitter @MizzouBaseball.
