Mizzou's Offense Slowed by Kentucky in Series Opener

Thursday, May 14

Columbia, Mo.

6:05 PM

Missouri

28-25, 14-14

Kentucky

29-23, 13-14

Kentucky

Mizzou

5/14/2015 11:28:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Kentucky starter Zack Brown tossed a complete-game shutout as the Wildcats took game one from Mizzou, 1-0, on Thursday night (May 14) at Taylor Stadium. Brown out-dueled Mizzou starter Reggie McClain (Duluth, Ga.), who scattered just eight hits and one run over 8.0 innings, striking out four and walking just two. Brown was one run better, allowing just four hits and no walks while fanning five.

The win improves the Wildcats to 29-23 and 13-14 in SEC play while the Tigers fall to 28-25 and 14-14 in SEC play. Junior Josh Lester (Columbus, Ga.) extended his career-long hitting streak to 14 games with a single and he was one of just four Tigers to record a hit in the loss. Sophomore Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.), freshman Shane Benes (Town & Country, Mo.) and senior Jake Ivory (St. Charles, Mo.) also had hits for Mizzou. Ivory also played sensational defense, robbing a two-run homer from Thomas Bernal in the fifth inning with a leaping catch over the left field wall. He also gunned a runner at the plate in the sixth inning.

Kentucky got its lone run of the game in that fifth inning, following Ivory's sensational catch. It was all set up by a leadoff double from Storm Wilson, who advanced to third on the homer-robbing catch by Ivory. Catcher Greg Fettes, the next batter up, laced a single through the left side to bring Wilson home for the go-ahead run.

The Tigers got just two runners to second base on the night - Ivory in the sixth after he was bunted over following a lead-off single and Ring in the ninth, who singled and advanced into scoring position on a groundout by Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.). Ring eventually got to third base on a wild pitch. Lester worked a 2-0 count, but Brown battled back to strikeout the Tigers' top RBI man with the tying run 90 feet from home.

Coach's Corner
On tonight's game...
"I thought it was a very well-played game by both teams. There was great pitching by both sides, and we just couldn't get that one run across."

On Kentucky's Zack Brown...
"He didn't give us much. We only had two or so opportunities to get him tonight."

Tracking the Tigers
Mizzou will be back in action Friday in game two of the Kentucky series. Freshman Tanner Houck (7-4, 3.47 ERA) will get the start on UK's Dustin Beggs (7-3, 3.34 ERA). The game will be on SEC Network+ and live on KTGR 100.5 FM/1580 AM in Columbia. For all the latest on Mizzou baseball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MizzouBaseball.