PHOENIX – Mizzou Baseball (1-2) split a double-header Saturday, dropping the first game but recovering with a 9-7 win in the second game. The win is the first for the Tigers of the 2021 campaign.
The Tigers opened the twin-bill with a loss, 8-4, as senior Andrew Vail lasted less than three innings. Offensively, the team started to click late with runs in the sixth and seventh innings. The big swings came from senior Chad McDaniel and junior Cameron Swanger, who each hit home runs during the matinee.
In the second game of the day, Mizzou opened with a bang, scoring two runs in the first two innings. After a back-and-forth battle all night, the Tigers took the lead in the sixth courtesy of a three-run homer from redshirt sophomore Luke Mann. The Lopes closed the gap to one in the bottom of the eighth, but an insurance run in the ninth proved enough for freshman Zach Hise to close out the double-header.
#ShowMe Top Performers
- Swanger (1st game): 1-for-4, 2 RBI, HR
- Mann (both games): 3-for-7, 5 RBI, HR, HBP
- McDaniel (both games): 3-for-6, HR, 2 RBI
- CJ Cepicky (second game): 3 BB, 2 R
Hear from the Skipper
On splitting the double-header…
"Whatever the (second) game brought at us; if we needed to score runs, we were scored runs. We needed a pitching performance, and we had a guy step up and give us a pitching performance. That's what good teams do, and we need to build off of this."
#MIZ Takeaways
- Redshirt sophomore Luke Mann broke out during the second day of the new season, contributing with RBIs in both games, and hitting the game-changing home run in the sixth inning of the second game to give the Tigers the lead
- Junior catchers Mike Coletta and Tre Morris have been dominant behind the plate, each throwing out two runners in the first three games of the series.
- Senior Chad McDaniel continued his strong opening performance with another three hits on Saturday between the two games. McDaniel heads into Sunday hitting .500 in the series
- Freshman Zach Hise picked up his first save in his Mizzou debut, fanning two hitters and allowing only one hit in an inning and two-thirds.
Up Next
Mizzou and Grand Canyon will conclude its series on Sunday. First pitch from Brazell Field at GCU Ballpark is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT, and can be streamed live on GCU-TV.
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