Mizzou Baseball Edges Western Illinois Saturday, 6-5

Saturday, March 7

Columbia, Mo.

2 PM

University of Missouri

8-5

Western Illinois

0-11

Western Illinois

Mizzou

3/7/2020 6:22:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

Tigers build 6-0 early advantage, fend off late Leathernecks push

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Baseball (8-5) extended its winning streak to four games Saturday afternoon following a 6-5 victory over Western Illinois. The Tigers built a commanding 6-0 lead after two innings of play, but the Leathernecks continued to battle with five unanswered runs.

Western Illinois put the tying run on base in the ninth inning, but a great defensive play in left field by junior Clayton Peterson ended the ballgame.

Three Tigers finished with multi-hit afternoons at the plate, led by junior Chad McDaniel's season-high three knocks. For the second consecutive game, senior Austin James left the yard following a three-run home run in the second inning.

#ShowMe Top Performers

Konnor Ash: (W) 5.2 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 K
Trey Dillard: (SV) 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R
McDaniel: 3-for-3, BB
James: 1-for-3, R, HR, 3 RBI, BB
Mark Vierling: 2-for-5, R, 2B, RBI
Brandt Belk: 2-for-4, R, RBI, BB, SB

Coach Bieser Postgame Soundbites

On Saturday's triumph over the Leathernecks…

"Definitely a hard-fought battle. We got to keep going and get better. That's what I challenged our team with today."

On the Tigers' six-run second inning…

"Hitting is contagious. You saw us starting to get some good hacks off their guy. We did a poor job of laying down a little in the latter innings and they did a better job of pitching to us."

On Veinbergs and Dillard's strong bullpen performances…

"Our bullpen so far this series has done a really good job. They've been coming in and attacking the strike zone. It was definitely a good thing that we saw today."

#MIZ Takeaways

Mizzou produced its fourth, one-run victory of the year Saturday. Overall, the Tigers are 4-1 in one-run ballgames this season.
The Tigers continue to be money when possessing a late lead, as they're now 6-0 when leading after six, seven and eight innings of play.
Good things continue to happen when Mizzou's offense hits the long ball. The Tigers are now 6-1 this season when hitting a home run.
Mizzou recorded 10 hits Saturday against Western Illinois, marking its eighth double-digit hitting performance this season.
After James' three-run home run in the second inning, the Tigers have now gone deep in four consecutive games and five times in their past six contests.
Behind Ash's seven strikeouts and senior Lukas Veinbergs' four strikeouts, Mizzou's pitching staff secured its sixth game this season with 10-plus punchouts.
After a base hit and drawing two walks Saturday, redshirt freshman Luke Mann has reached base safely in seven consecutive games. That total is currently the highest active streak on the team.

Up Next

Mizzou and Western Illinois' series finale at Taylor Stadium is scheduled for Sunday afternoon. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. CT.
2020 Mizzou Baseball single-game and season tickets are available for purchase by visiting MUTigers.com/BSBTix or by calling 1-800-CAT-PAWS.

Visit MUTigers.com for the latest information on all things Mizzou Baseball. You can also find the Tigers on social media by liking us on Facebook (Mizzou Baseball) and following us on Twitter (@MizzouBaseball) and Instagram (Missouri_Baseball).