The first batter Missouri sophomore reliever Breckin Williams faced made it look like the Tigers could’ve been in trouble in the sixth inning.
As a run crossed the plate, junior rightfielder Jake Ivory threw to third and Southern Mississippi first baseman Tim Lynch.
Then, as Williams made his way back to the mound, ball in hand for a two-out at-bat, Roney ran toward second.
Williams wasn’t fooled; he threw to second base and Roney was tagged out. Southern Miss (6-9) wouldn’t score again, and Missouri (6-6) would win 6-4.
“They had a baserunning mistake. … That was beneficial for us,” Missouri coach Tim Jamieson said.
The Tigers had some base running tricks of their own, and theirs actually worked.
In the eighth inning, with runners at the corners and one out, Missouri initiated a double steal. As sophomore second baseman Josh Lester headed for second, freshman outfielder Jake Ring headed home. When the tag on Lester was unsuccessful and the ball popped out of the Southern Miss player’s glove, Ring crossed the plate to give Missouri a two-run lead heading into the top of the ninth.
“It was nice to get that extra run later in the game – keep our intensity going to build confidence,” Ring said.
Mizzou’s offense was clicking earlier in the game, too. With Southern Miss starter A.J. Glasshof failing to command his pitches, Mizzou took the lead in the bottom of the first inning and never relinquished it.
Glasshof came into the game struggling with his control, having pitched 9.1 innings this season, in which he walked seven batters.
It was no different Saturday.
Glasshof’s day ended quickly. He pitched 1.1 innings, giving up five earned runs on five hits and four walks.
Missouri junior starter John Miles had his own struggles. In the third inning, the Golden Eagles scored three runs. Only one of the runs was earned though, as Ivory and freshman shortstop Ryan Howard each had errors in the top half of the inning.
After that though, Miles would settle down to throw into the sixth inning. He threw 5.1 innings, giving up two earned runs while striking out six and walking just one. Miles got the win, moving his record to 2-0.
“I was able to roll after that third inning,” Miles said. “It was easy going from there. I just needed to kick it up another notch, and that’s what I did.”
The win puts Missouri back at .500, and gives them its first series win of the season.
“It’s expected,” Ring said. “A team like this is put together very well, and we expect nothing less. We definitely have the talent, we just have to put forth all the effort.”
Jameson said there’s still work left for his team to do Sunday, though.
“Very seldom is it you have the opportunity to sweep somebody,” Jameson said. “You’re going to make sure you give it your best effort.”
First pitch for the final game of the Southern Miss-Missouri series is scheduled for 12 p.m.