No. 14 Mizzou Drops Series Opener at No. 8 Vanderbilt

Friday, April 24

Nashville, Tenn.

6:30 PM

University of Missouri

26-16, 12-7

Vanderbilt

31-12, 13-6

Mizzou

Vanderbilt

No. 14 Mizzou Drops Series Opener at No. 8 Vanderbilt

4/24/2015 10:30:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - No. 14 Mizzou baseball dropped its series-opener with No. 8 Vanderbilt, 9-2, on Friday night (April 24) at Hawkins Field. Junior righty Reggie McClain (Duluth, Ga.) was tagged for eight runs on nine hits in his shortest outing of the season (2.2 innings). Mizzou put runners on base in the first six innings against Vanderbilt's Carson Fulmer, but couldn't get a clutch hit. Fulmer earned the win, his eighth of the season, after allowing just three hits over 7.0 shutout innings, striking out 11 and walking four.

Vanderbilt scored early off of McClain, using a Rhett Wiseman solo homer in the first and an error and a pair of wild pitches that culminated in an RBI single from Karl Ellison in the second. Mizzou put runners on base in each of the first three innings, but couldn't get a clutch hit as Vanderbilt took a 2-0 lead.

Vandy added to the lead in the third, posting a six-spot, highlighted by two-run homers from Zander Weil and Jeren Kendall, knocking McClain out of the game after just 2.2 innings, his shortest outing of the season. Freshman Lake Dabney (Driftwood, Texas) settled things down, getting the Tigers through the third and pitching a 1-2-3 fourth inning. He then pitched around a walk in the fifth and settled the game down for the Tigers.

In fact, Dabney pitched into the seventh inning, allowing just one unearned run after three infield hits and a fielding error. He was lifted for Jace James (Oklahoma City, Okla.) who got the final out of the seventh. Dabney threw 4.0 innings, allowing just four hits while striking out three.

The Tigers then plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth on an RBI single by Josh Lester (Columbus, Ga.) and a ground-rule, RBI double from Zach Lavy(Auxvasses, Mo.), who was likely robbed of an RBI as the ball bounced over the wall in left center, stranding Trey Harris (Powder Springs, Ga.) at third.

James then pitched a 1-2-3 eighth inning as the senior has not allowed a hit in his last four outings. Mizzou's bats came back out in the ninth and despite a leadoff walk by pinch-hitter Brett Bond (St. Louis, Mo.) could not put another run on the board.

Game two will be Saturday at noon (CT) as Tanner Houck (6-2, 2.88 ERA) will face Philip Pfeifer (2-2, 3.27 ERA). The game was originally scheduled for 1:30 p.m., but a poor weather forecast forced the teams to play earlier. The game will air live on SEC Network+ and on KTGR in Columbia. For all the latest on Mizzou baseball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MizzouBaseball.

Post-game Notes - With the loss, Mizzou falls to 0-7 all-time against Vanderbilt with all seven meetings coming since Mizzou joined the SEC in 2013. The Tigers are also 0-4 all-time at Hawkins Field. - Vanderbilt takes sole possession of first place in the SEC East with the win over Mizzou and Florida's loss to Kentucky. - Reggie McClainwas tagged for eight runs (all earned), a season-high. It was his shortest outing of the season (previous was 5.1) despite leading the SEC with 73.1 innings pitched heading into the start. - Freshman Lake Dabney worked his longest outing at the Division I level at 4.0 innings. His previous best was 2.2 against Arkansas Pine-Bluff on March 25.