University of Missouri
Tennessee
@MizzouBaseball Hosts Tennessee on Alumni Weekend
4/28/2016 12:53:00 PM | Baseball
| Tennessee at Mizzou | April 29-May 1 | Taylor Stadium | Columbia, Mo. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAY | TIME | VIDEO | AUDIO | LIVE STATS |
| Friday, April 29 | 3 p.m. | SEC Network + | KTGR | Stats |
| Saturday, April 30 | 3 p.m. | ESPNU | KTGR | Stats |
| Sunday, May 1 | 11 a.m. | SEC Network | KTGR | Stats |
| Pitching Matchups | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RHP | Reggie McClain | 3-2, 3.89 ERA | Friday | LHP | Aaron Soto | 4-2, 4.02 ERA |
| RHP | Tanner Houck | 4-4, 3.20 ERA | Saturday | LHP | Zach Warren | 5-4, 2.88 ERA |
| TBA | Sunday | TBA | ||||
- Mizzou Baseball continues a four-game homestand as it welcomes Tennessee for a three-game series at Taylor Stadium, beginning Friday (Arpil 29) at 3 p.m. Friday's game will be carried on SEC Network+. That is a change from the originally scheduled 6 p.m. start as inclement weather is expected in Mid-Missouri Firday evening. Saturday's game at 3 p.m. will be live on ESPNU. Sunday's finale at 11:30 a.m. will be on SEC Network. Dave Neal and Chris Burke will have the call on Saturday and Sunday while Ben Arnet and Ryan Allen have the call Friday. The Tennessee series marks Alumni Weekend at Mizzou with more than 20 former Mizzou players expected to return to Columbia for the three-game series.
Tennessee leads the all-time series with Mizzou, 5-4, despite Mizzou taking two of three on Rocky Top last season. Tennessee won the first two weekend series in the all-time series in 2013 and 2014. In 2013, Mizzou lost the series opener in Knoxville, 4-0, before splitting a doubleheader. In 2014, Mizzou took the series opener in Columbia, 5-2, before being swept in a doubleheader on Saturday, 4-1 and 5-1. - Mizzou put up 20 runs in three games in Knoxville last season while limiting UT to just nine while winning two of three. C Jack Klages was the story of the series, coming off the bench to replace an injured Brett Bond. Klages hit .364 on the weekend with two doubles and a homer while driving in four runs. Below are some notable stat lines for Mizzou hitters against Tennessee:
- Junior CF Jake Ring - .385 // .429 // .615 // 2R // 6 RBI // 1 HR // 1 BB
- Senior 1B Zach Lavy - .364 // .462 // .636 // 4R // 1 RBI // 2B // 3B // 2 BB // 2 SB
- Junior C Jack Klages - .333 // .400 // .889 // 3R // 4 RBI // 2 2B // HR // BB
- Junior SS Ryan Howard - .308 // .357 // .385 // 3 RBI // 2B // SB
LAVY HAVING BREAKOUT SENIOR YEAR
When looking at candidates for postseason All-SEC honors at first base, one must look no further than Mizzou as senior Zach Lavy is having arguably the best offensive season at Mizzou since 2010. Heading into the weekend, Lavy is hitting .352 while slugging .642 with an OBP of .418. He leads the SEC in extra-base hits (29), doubles (17) and triples (seven) while leading the nation with his seven three-baggers. He is also second in the SEC in total bases (102). His 17 doubles are the most by a Tiger since 2010 and his seven triples are the most since 1994. His 29 extra-base hits are the most since Big 12 Player of the Year Aaron Senne in 2010. He is averaging 0.69 extra-base hits per game, the best average by a Mizzou player since Senne had 0.69 in 2010. Lavy leads Mizzou with 17 multi-hit games and 10 multiple RBI games. Lavy leads the nation in triples and is 17th in doubles
Should Lavy keep producing at his current pace, below is a breakdown of where his projected final numbers would rank. Keep in mind, Lavy is doing this all with the new bats, while most of the numbers mentioned below were with the old bats.
- 23 doubles - 4th in school history
- 9 triples - 1st in school history
- 39 extra-base hits - Most since Cody Ehlers had 39 in 2004
- 56 RBI - Most since current Major Leaguer Brett Nicholas had 64 in 2010
- 136 total bases - Most since Senne's 154 in 2010
Of course there are other tremendous first basemen in the SEC, so let's see how Lavy stacks up against them:
- Mizzou's Zach Lavy: .352 // .418 // .642 // 17 2B // 7 3B // 5 HR // 42 RBI // 37 R
- Florida's Peter Alonso: .347 // .452 // .600 // 11 2B // 0 3B // 9 HR // 41 RBI // 35 R
- Texas A&M's Hunter Melton: .377 // .444 // .642 // 11 2B // 2 3B // 9 HR // 54 RBI // 40 R
- Kentucky's Evan White: .354 // .401 // .497 // 12 2B // 2 3B // 2 HR // 31 RBI // 34 R
Now let's look at Lavy, Melton and Alonso in SEC games:
Lavy: .352 // .413 // .676 // 7 2B // 5 3B // 2 HR // 18 RBI // 12 R
Melton: .389 // .435 // .694 // 5 2B // 1 3B // 5 HR // 24 RBI // 13 R
Alonso: .314 // .429 // .600 // 2 2B // 0 3B // 6 HR // 16 RBI // 16 R
Looking at those numbers, the only 1B in the league whose numbers come close to outshining Lavy are Melton's.
OFFENSE BREAKS OUT MIDWEEK
Mizzou had a huge offensive night Tuesday vs. nationally-ranked Missouri State in a 17-9 win. Mizzou's offense pounded out a season-high 17 hits and walked five times as six players finished with multi-hit performances while every Mizzou starter had at least one hit. Four Tigers drove in multiple runs, highlighted by senior 1B Zach Lavy who tallied Mizzou's first six-RBI game since March 30, 2010. He doubled and homered in the win. Sophomore 3B Shane Benes went 3-for-5 with a career-high five RBI and a towering homer over Mizzou's bullpen and out of the stadium to left field.
The 17 runs for Mizzou in that game were more than its previous five games combined (15 total in those five games) and helped Mizzou snap a season-long seven-game losing streak. The 17 runs are the most for Mizzou since scoring 18 against Ole Miss on May 2, 2015 while the 17 hits match the most by a Mizzou team since March 14, 2012 against North Dakota when Mizzou tallied 18 hits. Mizzou also had 17 hits on April 27, 2012, against Texas A&M that year.
COACH J APPROACHES MILESTONE
As Mizzou enters the weekend with Tennessee, Mizzou head coach Tim Jamieson is closing in a milestone. With 693 career wins (all at Mizzou), the Tiger skipper is just seven away from reaching 700 career wins. Once Coach Jamieson reaches 700 career wins, he will be just 33 wins shy of tying legendary Mizzou head coach Gene McArtor for the most wins of any Mizzou Baseball head coach (McArtor had 733 wins from 1974-1994). Coach Jamieson succeeded McArtor in 1995 and has won 693. What is even more amazing about Mizzou's coaching history is that the Tigers have had just three coaches since 1937 as John 'Hi' Simmons - who Mizzou's field is field is named after - coached 35 years before McArtor took over in 1974.
UP NEXT
Mizzou heads to Sauget, Ill., to play a neutral site game against Illinois at GCS Ballpark in the St. Louis suburb. The game will air live on SEC Network. Tex Little and Trevor Coleman will have the call on KTGR. For all the latest on Mizzou Baseball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MizzouBaseball.
