Missouri baseball advances to Big 12 tournament semi-finals with walk-off victory
The Missouri Tigers baseball team continued its unexpected tournament run Thursday, as sophomore Eric Garcia's walk-off single in the ninth inning gave MU a 6-5 win over Oklahoma State and a spot in the Big 12 Tournament semifinals. The Tigers will play either Oklahoma State or Texas at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Garcia's opportunity came after Missouri watched a 5-0 lead evaporate in the final two innings. After keeping the Cowboys' lineup down most of the game, Tigers starter Rob Zastryzny was lifted in the eighth inning in favor of reliever Dusty Ross. Ross' first pitch was hit for a three-run homer by OSU first baseman Zach Johnson to shrink the lead to 5-3. Missouri closer Phil McCormick also struggled in the ninth inning, and the Cowboys were able to tie the game at 5-5.
Missouri senior second baseman Andrew Thigpen and junior infielder Conner Mach led off the ninth with hits, the third of the game for both. One out later, Garcia hit a single up the middle to bring Mach home from second for the Tigers' fifth walk-off win against Big 12 competition this season.