@MizzouBaseball Drops First of Doubleheader to UIC

Saturday, March 5

Columbia, Mo.

1 p.m.

University of Missouri

9-3

UIC

4-5

UIC

Mizzou

3/5/2016 4:27:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Sophomore RHP Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) was tagged with his first loss of the season Saturday in game 1 of a doubleheader as UIC earned a 4-2 win over Mizzou Baseball at Taylor Stadium. Houck went seven innings with six strikeouts, zero walks, one HBP, and gave up six hits and three earned runs.

Mizzou struck early, with freshman OF Connor Brumfield (Columbia, Mo.) leading off the first with a walk for his third consecutive game. Sophomore INF Shane Benes (Town and Country, Mo.) later drove Brumfield in for the first run of the game.

Houck picked up a strikeout to start the third, but a wild pitch allowed UIC to reach first, setting up a three-run inning. A hit-by-pitch placed runners on first and second, and the next batter ripped a double down the right field line bringing in the first run. Shortly after, junior OF Jake Ring (Ingleside, Ill.) made a diving attempt but came up empty when a shallow fly ball to center dropped in, scoring a pair. Houck, after three runs, pitched his way out of the inning, picking up three strikeouts and a groundout.

UIC led off the fifth with a base hit to right following with a sac bunt and a groundout to shortstop to move the runner over to third. An error from junior INF Ryan Howard (St. Charles, Mo.) allowed an unearned run to score, extending UIC's lead, 4-1.

Mizzou answered back with a lead off single to right by Senior 1B Zach Lavy (Auxvasse, MO) followed by another single to right from freshman Ian Nelson (Lake St. Louis, Mo.) advancing Lavy to third. Brumfield drove in Lavy on a groundout to the right side, picking up the second run of the game and reducing UIC's lead, 4-2.

Freshman LHP Ty Shoaff (Akron, Ohio) relieved Houck in the eighth striking out two and allowing one hit before redshirt freshman RHP Liam Carter (Highland Park, Ill.) entered the game to get the final out of the inning. Carter returned for the ninth recording two strikeouts, and only giving up one hit.

Mizzou threatened in the bottom of the ninth with a base hit to right by Sophomore C Brett Bond (St. Louis, MO) and another by Lavy but came up short giving Missouri their third loss of the season.

Mizzou and UIC will play game two of the doubleheader at 4:35 p.m. Saturday. Senior LHP Austin Tribby (Springfield, Mo.) will get the start for Mizzou.

Postgame Notes

Mizzou has won two of their three home games of the 2016 season.
Mizzou now leads the all-time series with UIC, 8-4.
Tanner Houck threw six pitches in the first inning, four of which were strikes.
This was the third straight game Connor Brumfield led off with a walk.
This was the third straight game Mizzou scored in the first inning.
Shane Benes got an RBI for his second consecutive game.
This was the third straight game Connor Brumfield scored a run in the first inning.
Connor Brumfield has now reached base safely in ten straight games.
Ryan Howard has reached base safely in twelve consecutive games.
This was Mizzou's ninth consecutive game with at least five hits.
The Tigers are now 8-1 in games where they scored the first run.
Ty Shoaff went into pitch at the start of the eighth making his fifth appearance.
Liam Carter goes into pitch making his fourth career appearance.