The Missouri baseball team reversed its recent losing ways Friday at Taylor Stadium, cruising past Kansas State 13-4.
Entering Friday’s series-opening matchup, Missouri (19-17, 409 Big 12 Conference) was on a seven-game losing streak in Big 12 play.
The losses were doubly grating due to the fact that they were so close. The Tigers lost 6-5 at Oklahoma in a game they led entering the bottom of the ninth. Then they had two down-to-the-wire games at home against Baylor and a loss to Texas A&M in which they scored five runs to tie the game in the top of the ninth only to lose in the bottom of the frame.
So many close contests seemed to shift away from Missouri.
Friday, though, the Tigers seemed to unload all their frustrations on Kansas State, in particular Wildcats starter Matt Applegate, for the 13-4 win. The outing marked the most runs the Tigers have scored in a Big 12 game this year.
“Those losses, they hurt,” junior shortstop Eric Garcia said of the prior losing streak. “They’re real close, and we were right there. For us to come out here and score some runs and get a big win is definitely kind of a stress reliever.”
Coach Tim Jamieson stuck with the unusual lineup he used in the Tigers’ series finale last weekend against Oklahoma, using senior third baseman Conner Mach, who has stolen one base this year, in the leadoff spot and putting senior catcher Ben Turner, who has a solid average this year but one career home run, in the three-hole.
“It was good tonight, we’ll see again tomorrow what it’s like,” Jamieson said. “I was worried (about hitters) seven, eight, nine … but the guys at the top did a good job, and that’s what we need from them every night.”
After sophomore starting pitcher Rob Zastryzny worked his way out of a jam in the first inning, the Tigers got down to business offensively in the bottom of the inning.
Mach and junior centerfielder Brannon Champagne struck out to start, but that did nothing to deter the rest of the Tigers’ lineup. After Turner got on with a double, he was driven in by an error by the first baseman on junior left fielder Dane Opel’s hot grounder.
Junior right fielder Blake Brown singled to put two on, and then junior shortstop Eric Garcia cranked a three-run home run, his second of the season.
Missouri effectively put the game away by scoring two more in the bottom of the second. Redshirt junior first baseman Andreas Plackis, filling in for sophomore Michael McGraw due to McGraw’s thumb injury, went 3-for-3 with two RBIs. Plackis is one of four Tigers to play first base this year, and he made only his sixth start of the year.
“If we’re not on the field, we’ve got to stay on the bench and each day in practice, got to work hard and hopefully if we get our shot, come around and produce for the team a little bit,” he said.
Zastryzny claimed his first win in five starts. The lefty threw eight strong innings, allowing five hits and one earned run while striking out six. He threw 72 strikes in 110 pitches, not the optimal percentage, but still expressed confidence in his approach.
“I don’t worry about pitch count, I don’t care if I go 2-2 or whatever because I’m confident in my stuff, but I don’t want to go 2-0 or 3-1 on anyone,” he said. “If I’m ahead, I can afford to miss a pitch or throw one a little bit harder, maybe not throw it where I want to … but yeah, I always want to throw more strikes.”
Missouri will continue its set against Kansas State on Saturday. Junior pitcher Blake Holovach will seek his sixth win of the season.