Going into the week, Missouri baseball had a team meeting. The Tigers were looking to break a seven-game losing streak.

Sophomore Trey Harris recounted what was said in the meeting.

“‘Let’s just have fun, go as hard as we can and just do what we do,’” Harris said. “‘We’re a good baseball team, we’ve just been shooting ourselves in the foot.’”

The message seems to have gotten through.

Missouri (23–21, 6–14 SEC) knocked off Tennessee (24–20, 6–14 SEC) 6–5 in a back-and-forth Southeastern Conference showdown Saturday. It was the Tigers’ third straight win.

After going 4-for-4 on Friday, junior shortstop Ryan Howard ripped the first pitch he saw over the left-field bullpen, giving the Tigers an early 1–0 lead. In the second inning, sophomore Brett Bond followed with a home run of his own. The two-run shot was his seventh on the season.

After Bond’s home run, Tennessee starter Zach Warren settled in. He did not allow a run for the next four innings. For the Tigers, sophomore pitcher Tanner Houck kept the Volunteers scoreless through six innings.

The top of the seventh inning, however, proved costly for Missouri. Tennessee shortstop Nick Senzel led off the frame with a home run off Houck, cutting the Missouri lead to 3–1. The Tigers then made two errors, putting runners on first and second base for Benito Santiago. The Tennessee catcher proceeded to smack a double over left fielder Marquise Doherty’s head, bringing in another run for the Volunteers.

A sacrifice fly and a single gave the Volunteers a 4–3 lead.

In the bottom half of the inning, Bond led off with a double. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out Kirby McGuire single to tie the game.

The tie did not last long.

Senzel, a top MLB Draft prospect, struck again in the eighth. He hit his second home run of the game, clobbering the ball over the center field wall.

“Obviously we all know his numbers and how good of a prospect he is, and he played well today …” senior first baseman Zach Lavy said. “He’s a good hitter.”

Houck left the game after 7.2 innings pitched. The sophomore allowed five runs, including two earned, striking out six and walking none. He now has an ERA of 3.12.

The Tigers led off the bottom of the eighth inning with singles from freshman Connor Brumfield and junior Jake Ring. After a Ryan Howard strikeout, senior Zach Lavy tied the game with a single. Sophomore Trey Harris followed with a single of his own, giving the Tigers a 6–5 lead.

After the go-ahead single, Harris shouted in excitement.

“I couldn’t even tell you what I was thinking,” the sophomore said. “I was just so hyped up.”

Austin Tribby closed the door on the Volunteers, throwing 1.1 innings in relief. Coach Tim Jamieson was pleased with how the senior pitched, especially his eighth inning strikeout of Santiago.

“He was awesome,” Jamieson said. “He came in, and the momentum was on Tennessee’s side when he got the strikeout … and then he did an awesome job in the ninth inning.”

The Tigers will look to sweep Tennessee on Sunday.

_Edited by George Roberson | groberson@themaneater.com_