In 2015, Reggie McClain did not allow an earned run in his first 22 1/3 innings of the year. The streak snapped in a game against University of Illinois at Chicago.
McClain took the mound Friday night against the UIC Flames for the second straight season. Going into the game, the senior had not allowed an earned run in 2016. Then, once again, the Flames ended his streak at 22 1/3 innings.
McClain’s earned run in the sixth was one of his only hiccups in the game. The Duluth, Georgia, native went 7 2/3 innings and struck out 11 batters, allowing only three earned runs.
“I was controlling the zone for the most part,” he said. “(The) slider, which really is my third pitch, really came through for me today and had a lot of swing and misses on that and a lot of strikeouts, too.”
The Tigers offense started strong. Freshman Connor Brumfield and junior Ryan Howard both walked to start the game. Junior Jake Ring beat out an infield single, and Brumfield scored on a throwing error by the Flame’s second baseman.
With two on and no outs and sophomore Trey Harris up to bat, the Tigers looked poised for a big inning. UIC shortstop Cody Bohanek brought the Missouri momentum to an abrupt stop, however, spearing a Harris line drive and throwing to second for a double play.
Despite the double play, the Tigers were able to bring home another run in the inning. Sophomore Shane Benes hit a two-out single to drive in Howard, giving the Tigers a 2–0 lead. Missouri forced UIC pitcher Ian Lewandowski to throw 38 pitches in the frame.
Howard reached base on an error to start the third inning for Missouri. Ring picked up his second hit of the night, and the Tigers executed a double steal to put runners on second and third. Sophomore Brett Bond brought in Howard with a groundout to second, making the score 3-0.
The Flames pushed across a run in the sixth. Two singles put runners on first and third, and a one-out error by second baseman Ian Nelson scored UIC catcher Wyatt Mascarella.
With two outs in the bottom of the seventh, Brumfield drew his second walk of the game. Howard was hit by a pitch, putting two runners on for Ring. The junior smacked a single, bringing in Brumfield.
McClain ran into trouble in the eighth. With only one out in the inning, the Flames loaded the bases. The Tigers starter struck out Scott Ota for the second out of the inning but allowed a walk to make the score 4–2. After the free pass, coach Tim Jamieson replaced McClain with sophomore Cole Bartlett.
Despite a rough last inning of work, Jamieson was happy with his starter’s showing.
“He was great,” he said. “He got us into the eighth inning, he might have gotten a little tired there at the end and started elevating some pitches … he made big pitches when he had to.”
The Flames tacked on another run against Bartlett. The sophomore gave up an infield single to the first batter he faced, cutting the Tiger lead to one. Mascarella then grounded out to third, ending the inning.
In the ninth, the Tigers called on Brian Sharp to close the door. The freshman recorded two outs but then allowed two singles. With runners at first and third, Sharp balked, allowing Joe Rossi to score the tying run.
Missouri made sure the game did not get to extra innings.
Nelson, a freshman, singled to start the ninth, and Jamieson brought in Johnny Balsamo to pinch run. A wild pitch allowed Balsamo to advance to second, and a Brumfield single put runners on the corners.
This brought Howard to the plate.
“Unless the pitcher is really doing something that’s throwing me off, (I) sit fastball and try to hit something up the middle,” the shortstop said.
Howard got the pitch he was looking for. The junior ripped a first pitch fastball over the leftfield fence for a walk-off home run. Tigers 7, UIC 4. Final.
“The confidence is there, and hopefully we can keep that going and keep winning games like that, because those are the games you’ve got to win,” Howard said.
Missouri continues its series with UIC tomorrow with a doubleheader. The first game is at 1 p.m.
