After Missouri baseball lost in their home opener to Southeast Missouri, the Tigers were set for a three-game home series against the Northern Kentucky Norse. Entering the series, Missouri’s record was 4-4.

The first game of the series featured two starting pitchers, Missouri pitcher Bryce Mayer and Northern Kentucky pitcher Tanner Gillis. The game started with NKU hitting a three-run home run from freshman catcher Jake Paulik. Which brought in senior infielder Cleary Simpson who was walked and senior infielder Liam McFadden-Ackman who got on base due to catcher interference. 

Missouri was quickly down 3-0. Freshman catcher Tucker Moore opened up the bottom of the first inning with a double, later scored from a wild pitch, reducing the deficit to 3-1. This was the last time a batter reached home this game, as each team ended the game with 4 hits a piece, and NKU winning 3-1.

The second game was opposite of the previous one, as Missouri started the seven-inning game with 14 runs in the bottom of the first. Six different players secured RBI’s in the second game. Sophomore Jackson Lovich knocked a two-run home run out of the park and sophomore Jackson Beaman hit a three-run home run. Missouri scored runs in each of the next two innings, with Lovich hitting a sacrifice fly to bring in freshman Drew Culbertson. Junior Jedier Hernandez hit an RBI single in the third. 

With the score 16-2, Missouri would go on to finish out the game scoring three runs in the fourth and nine in the sixth. Missouri brought home a 28-10 win.

With the series tied at one apiece, fans were set for a down-to-the-wire last game. NKU started the game with an RBI single. Senior Trevor Austin followed that up by hitting a triple to right center, scoring the earlier walked Moore. 

Austin reached home his next at-bat with a groundout from Lovich. The Norse would go on to score eight runs in the next inning, seeing the first of seven pitching changes for the Tigers. Both teams would go scoreless in the third inning, each scoring two in the fourth, Lovich and freshman Thomas Curry both getting home runs in the first two at-bats in the bottom half. 

With a score of 11-4, Missouri started their comeback.

After giving up a home run in the top of the fifth, Missouri would load up the bases with Hernandez, Culbertson, and Moore. Two RBI’s from Austin and Lovich brought in the first two runners. Curry would get a hit and reach third from a throwing error, bringing in Moore and getting brought home by Peer.

Missouri would follow this up, scoring six runs in the next inning. Starting with a home run from Hernandez to make it a three-run deficit. Two singles from Moore and Austin, as well as Lovich getting walked, would set the game up with a familiar scene with loaded bases for Missouri. Two runners were brought in from Curry with a two-RBI double. 

Missouri would go up 13-12 with three consecutive walks, two scoring Curry and Lovich. The inning would end with Hernandez coming up big again with a sacrifice fly, scoring one last run to end the rally.

Missouri would keep the lead through the seventh, matching NKU’s RBI single with Curry getting his fourth RBI of the game leading 15-13. Going into the final two innings with the Norse down two, Northern Kentucky would load the bases in the top of the eighth, only scoring one. 

A quick single and double would tie the game for NKU, and they gained the lead through a wild pitch with Wood scoring. Missouri would come up short with a flyout and two strikeouts. NKU spoiled the comeback, winning 16-15.

Missouri, losing the close series, drop to 5-6.  

Edited by Michael Stamps

Copy Edited by Grace Knight

Edited by Genevieve Smith | gsmith@themaneater.com