Gehrig Goldbeck and Jackson Lovich lead the charge with six combined hits as Missouri baseball defeats Illinois 11-9
Missouri baseball came into a neutral site matchup against the Illinois Fighting Illini on a seven-game losing streak. The Tigers looked to turn things around in Missouri’s 33rd matchup of the Braggin’ Rights series on March 25.
Missouri Wins 11-9
The Tigers accomplished their goal of getting back in the win column, fueled by a fast start at the plate.
Missouri scored eight of its 11 runs in the first two innings, lighting up Illinois’ junior starting pitcher Ryan Daly for the first four runs before earning another four runs on graduate pitcher Christian Morel to end the second.
Missouri’s strong performance at the plate was spearheaded by a pair of juniors, Gehrig Goldbeck and Jackson Lovich. Goldbeck went 3-for-4 at the plate with two runs and two RBIs while Lovich went 3-for-5 at the plate with two runs and four RBIs, along with a two-run home run in the first to kick off the scoring.
Lovich has been on a tear recently, hitting .571 with 2 home runs and 9 RBIs against Ole Miss to earn the team’s top performer of the week honor.
Senior first baseman Cayden Nicoletto also got in on the action going 2-for-5 at the plate with two runs and an RBI, along with a home run in the seventh that helped keep Missouri in the lead.
Redshirt freshman starting pitcher Wil Libbert held strong throughout the first five innings, allowing just two hits and no runs. However, the floodgates blasted open in the sixth as the Fighting Illini scored six runs, four of which came with Libbert at the mound.
Sophomore relief pitcher Ben Smith came in to limit the damage the best he could but still allowed three hits and two more runs.
The Tigers held on however, as junior Brock Lucas and graduate student Xavier Lovett came in and allowed just three more runs on two hits thanks to a couple of home runs.
The Tigers now hold a close 17-15-1 series lead over Illinois. The Tigers have won 11 of the last 16 matchups against Illinois dating back to 1988.
Edited by Colin Simmons l csimmons@themaneater.com
Copy edited by Natalie Kientzy | nkientzy@themaneater.com
Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com