Mizzou Baseball swept the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions in a midweek series, serving as the Tigers’ 2026 home opener. Mizzou started both games with a freshman pitcher on the mound.
JD Dohrmann got the game one start, and Luke Sullivan started the second game. It’s only fitting that the two made their Taylor Stadium debuts in consecutive games — they’ve been side-by-side for years before donning Mizzou’s black and gold uniforms.
“We both just push each other,” Dohrmann said. “I’ve been playing with him since I was 14 years old. So we know each other. We know what we need to do to win, and he knows when to get on me. I know to get on him, and he knows when to just back it off. So his support is just awesome.”
Both pitched quality games, which helped lead to a Missouri series sweep.
Game 1
Ian Smith started Arkansas-Pine Bluff off with an RBI single, scoring Konner Giddley from second base to put Mizzou down 1-0 and create an early-deficit scare.
Mizzou would begin a stellar third inning off the back of junior Sam Parker’s stellar defense. With one out, Parker dove for two consecutive ground balls to get the Tiger defense off the field.
Freshman Blaize Ward got Mizzou’s offense started in the bottom of the third by knocking a double into right-center field. Mizzou loaded the bases, and the Tigers’ first run would come after graduate student Pierre Seals was hit by a pitch.
After that, the Tigers lit up the Golden Lions’ defense for four more runs, batting through the lineup and ending the inning up 5-1.
Later on in the fifth inning, junior Mateo Serna hit a ball 407 feet into right field for his first home run of the season, giving the Tigers a 6-1 lead.
The real fireworks came in the bottom of the sixth inning when Mizzou scored nine runs to put the game out of reach for Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Graduate student Jase Woita took advantage of a poorly placed pitch to send a ball 367 feet into right field for a three-run homer.
Mizzou went on to run-rule the Golden Lions, finishing the game in seven innings with a final score of 15-1.
Game 2
Sullivan didn’t disappoint in his freshman debut. Following in the footsteps of his roommate, he pitched five scoreless innings while only allowing one hit.
Both offenses started slow, with the first run of the game coming in the top of the sixth inning after the Golden Lions scored on a wild pitch.
In the bottom half of the sixth inning, Serna stepped up big time with the bases loaded and hit an electric grand slam, sending the ball 341 feet into left field, his second home run of the season.
Serna, however, was not done. With the bases loaded once again in the bottom of the eighth, he hit a groundball to the pitcher, allowing redshirt senior Isaiah Frost to score from third base.
The Tigers won the matchup 5-1, with Serna responsible for all five of Mizzou’s runs. Serna had nine RBIs over the two-game series.
Mizzou will be back in action at 6 p.m. Friday to begin a three-game home series against North Dakota State.
