Missouri (6-2) scored 12 runs in the team’s series opening win against Hofstra (0-6), Friday afternoon. They managed to save some — well, a lot — for Saturday’s twin bill. The Tigers outscored the Pride 19-4 over two games to claim the series win.
In the early game, after a scoreless first, Mizzou put up four runs in the second inning. Sophomore left fielder Trey Harris (1-for-3, 2B, 3 RBI) opened up scoring with a two-RBI double to the left-center gap. Singles from sophomore third baseman Shane Benes (2-for-3, R, 2 RBI) and freshman right fielder Connor Brumfield (2-for-4, RBI) plated two more and that was plenty for Mizzou starter Tanner Houck as the Tigers cruised to an 8-0 victory.
Houck (W, 2-0) fired a complete-game shutout, scattering three hits and fanning a career-high nine to earn his second win in as many starts on the young season. The sophomore was in complete control throughout. He was able to set the tone by getting ahead of batters and faced just six over the minimum.
Sacrifice flies off the bats of Harris and junior center fielder Jake Ring (0-for-3, SF, BB, RBI) extended Mizzou’s lead to 5-0 and a bases-loaded walk to sophomore catcher Brett Bond (1-for-3, 2 BB, RBI) made it 6-0 in the fourth.
Junior shortstop Ryan Howard (1-for-5, RBI) singled up the middle to bring across another run in the fifth. It was his seventh consecutive game with a hit to kick off the season. The streak would end, however, in the late game.
Houck got into a jam in the seventh after allowing the first two men to reach base, but was able to maneuver out of the tricky situation by inducing a 1-6-3 double play and a groundout to end the inning. He went on to cap off a dominant performance with a pair of strikeouts in the final two innings to clinch no less than a series split for the Tigers.
In the back half of the doubleheader, Mizzou’s offense showed no signs of slowing down. The Tigers jumped all over Hofstra senior starter Alec Eisenberg for three runs in the opening inning. Bond (1-for-3, 2 R, RBI) pulled a single to right and Benes (2-for-3, 3 RBI) continued to swing a hot bat with a two-run single to bring Tigers’ senior starter Austin Tribby out to a 3-0 advantage.
The early lead was key for the Tigers as Hofstra responded with a run in the second and another in the third to cut the deficit back to a single run. Tribby was able to settle in for a respectable performance in his first career start. Tribby, who has already appeared three times in relief efforts this season, is making the transition from reliever to starter this season as the Tigers look for depth behind Reggie McClain and Houck.
Tribby (W, 1-0) set career-highs with six innings pitched and eight strikeouts in the performance. His previous longest appearance was 3.1 innings against Southeast Missouri State, set last season in an 8-5 loss.
The Tigers’ offensive attack continued to pile on, however, especially throughout the middle innings. Mizzou put up at least one run in every inning from the third to the sixth to help pad the lead, including a five-run sixth inning to break it open. By the end of the sixth, the Tigers held a commanding 11-3 lead. Mizzou also topped the 10-plus hit plateau for the fourth consecutive game after the offense struggled mightily in the final games of their season-opening series against Seton Hall last weekend.
Brumfield (4-for-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI) and Ring (4-for-5, 2B, 3B, RBI) helped lead the offensive explosion with four hits apiece as the Tigers cruised to a series win with an 11-4 victory.
Mizzou will try for the sweep tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Fans can hear all the action with Tex Little and Trevor Coleman on the call on KTGR 1580 AM/100.5 FM.
