Mizzou Falters in Opener at Alabama

Friday, April 30

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

6 PM

University of Missouri

12-27, 5-14

Alabama

26-15, 9-10

Missouri

Alabama

4/30/2021 9:42:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Tigers unable to hold early lead in 11-8 loss

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Mizzou Baseball (12-27, 5-14 SEC) fell in an 11-8 offensive slugfest to open its series at Alabama (26-15, 9-10 SEC) on Friday Night.

Mizzou jumped on the Tide in the first inning with four runs, all coming with two outs. Senior Brandt Belk roped a two-run double and later scored from second on an infield single by junior Tre Morris. Junior Joshua Day finished the rally with an RBI-single to stake the Tigers to a 4-0 lead.

Alabama responded immediately with a pair of solo home runs in the bottom half of the first to cut the lead to 4-2. Mizzou would score the next three runs, including two more with two outs in the third, to build a 7-2 advantage.

After a two-run Alabama homer cut the lead to 7-4, Sophomore Torin Montgomery doubled home a run to make it 8-4 in the fourth. The Tide pulled within 8-6 in the fifth and then took the lead in the sixth. Alabama strung together four-straight hits in the inning and were aided by a pair of errors to take a 9-8 edge.

Alabama added two in the eighth for the final margin of 11-8.

#ShowMe top performers

Joshua Day: 3-for-4, 2 RBI, R
Luke Mann: 2-for-4, 2B, R

HEAR FROM THE SKIPPER

Head coach Steve Bieser on Friday night loss…

"Just a tough one to lose a ballgame like that. You put up eight runs on the board, you expect to win on Friday night and we just weren't able to slow them down. They got a little momentum… and we didn't really have an answer but, part of the answer is you can't have four errors in a ballgame and expect to win."

#MIZ TAKEAWAYS

The Tigers scored four runs in the first inning for the second time this season (at Illinois State – March 13).
Mizzou opened the game 8-for-11 with two outs in the first three innings. The Tigers scored six two-out runs in the first three frames.
Andrew Keefer extended his hitting streak to nine games with a first-inning single.
Mizzou's four errors were its most of the season.
Day's three-hit performance was his second game of the year with a trio of knocks.

UP NEXT

Mizzou and Alabama continue the series on Saturday at 2 p.m. on SEC Network+.

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).