Six runs in the fifth inning put SEMO ahead for good, as the Tigers dropped their first home opener under head coach Kerrick Jackson
For the first time since 2015, Missouri baseball has lost in their home opener.
The Tigers fell to Southeast Missouri State 8-3 at Taylor Stadium on Tuesday night in a lightning-shortened contest that saw head coach Kerrick Jackson use eight different pitchers.
Making his first career start on the mound for Missouri was sophomore Daniel Wissler. Wissler made 20 relief appearances out of the bullpen a season ago. This season, he had allowed two runs in 4.1 innings prior to his start on Tuesday.
Wissler began the game flawlessly, striking out all three SEMO batters in the top of the first inning. However, he ran into problems in the top of the second, as Redhawk senior Chance Resetich led off the inning with a solo home run.
Wissler would finish the second inning, but was then replaced ahead of the third inning by junior Victor Quinn. Quinn did not allow a hit, but he walked one Redhawk and hit three others, giving SEMO a 2-0 lead. He was replaced after recording two outs in the third.
Freshman Charlie Miller relieved Quinn and worked through the fourth inning. He struck out three of the four SEMO hitters that he faced and did not allow a single baserunner.
With Missouri trailing by two runs heading into the fifth inning, Jackson turned to junior Miles Garrett for the first time this season. Garrett transferred to Missouri from Vanderbilt University this offseason.
For his first appearance in the black and gold, Garrett walked all four batters that he faced and missed the strike zone with 16 of his 22 pitches. He was replaced by sophomore Nic Smith soon after.
Smith inherited three runners from Garrett, and he allowed them all to score within two batters. He hit the first batter he saw before giving up a grand slam to junior first baseman Bryce Cannon.
Down 8-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Missouri’s offense got runs across the plate. Junior left fielder Isaiah Frost led off the inning with a walk, followed by a single from junior catcher Jedier Hernandez. The two advanced bases on a wild pitch. Frost then scored on a groundout by sophomore designated hitter Brock Daniels, who secured his first RBI as a Tiger.
Hernandez scored two batters later after a throwing error from SEMO shortstop Ben Palmer to make it an 8-2 game after five innings.
Graduate Ben Pederson and junior Kaden Jacobi pitched the sixth and seventh innings for Missouri, and neither allowed a run.
The Tigers’ offense would strike one last time in the bottom of the seventh inning, as redshirt freshman catcher Tucker Moore hit a solo home run, the first of his collegiate career.
Freshman Josh McDevitt pitched a scoreless eighth inning for Missouri as well.
The game was canceled after the top of the eighth inning due to lightning in the area, giving SEMO an 8-3 win. It is SEMO’s first victory over Missouri since 2017.
The Tigers return to action on Friday, as they host Northern Kentucky in the first game of a three-game series at Taylor Stadium. First pitch is set for 6 p.m.
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Edited by Scout Hudson | shudson@themaneater.com