Series sweep puts Tigers on a 12-game streak
Published March 20, 2007
After sweeping a three-game series against Cleveland State, MU baseball is on a 12-game winning streak. But things could come to a halt next weekend when the team starts Big 12 play in Lincoln, Neb.
Sophomore pitcher Aaron Crow carried the Tigers, pitching seven innings and giving up three earned runs on five hits and striking out nine. The Tigers took the game 6-2, earning Crow his fourth victory of the season. Crow recently moved into the Tigers No. 1 pitching spot.
"It just means you have to be a lot crisper with everything," Crow said. "You know that the game is going to be a lot closer, the runs are at a premium, so you have to keep them from scoring."
Freshmen Kyle Gibson pitched a perfect ninth inning. Gibson might remain in the bullpen as the closer, or he could switch to the starting rotation's third spot, which is up for grabs between Gibson, freshman Greg Folgia or sophomore Ian Berger.
"Kyle's been so good in the relief role, we feel like we can get at least five or six innings out of somebody else," coach Tim Jamieson said. "That guy gives you tremendous confidence you can win games late."
Gibson will likely remain in the pen with Folgia moving to the rotation.
"Kyle can come right out of the pen and throw three pitches for strikes," Jamieson said. "Greg needs to get into the rhythm of the game. That's why I think he's struggled as a reliever and is better as a starter."
Offensively, the weekend belonged to sophomore Ryan Lollis, who went 8-for-12 in the series with three RBIs. Lollis is now batting .368 on the season with a home run and 28 RBIs. Just above Lollis in the batting order, senior John McKee wasn't as successful, going 0-for-8 in three games.
After a slight delay, sophomore Rick Zagone started the second game of the series, pitching 6.2 innings, giving up six hits and two earned runs. Zagone struck out six batters and was taken out in the seventh when Jamieson felt he had become ineffective.
The Vikings helped the Tigers to six unearned runs by committing six errors in Saturday's game, which the Tigers won 9-2. Cleveland State's defense recorded 10 errors in three games.
In the final game, Folgia picked up the start Sunday, but the win went to Gibson, who came in for the final 1.1 innings. The Tigers were down early in the second inning when Cleveland State's Nate Radtke hit a three-run home run.
"I thought that home run was a fly ball, and then I just saw it keep going and it kept going and didn't stop, and then it finally did and it was a home run," Folgia said.
Folgia then settled in, giving up only one more run in the sixth inning.
All of Sunday's pitchers were new to the Tigers this year. Sophomore transfer Scooter Hicks, freshmen Ryan Allen and Gibson pitched the final 3.1 innings.
Missouri was able to take the lead in the fifth inning when freshman Trevor Coleman hit a two-run home run, but he quickly saw Cleveland State tie the score posting another run in the next inning. The Tigers had to battle back, earning a 6-4 win on freshman Aaron Senne's two-run double.
Although the team has won 12 in a row, a new season starts next weekend with the start of Big 12 play, and the competition there will test the Tigers.
"In conference season the first game is just like the start of a new season," Frey said. "It's awesome. Everybody gets pumped up. Attention level is going to dial it up a little bit, and we're going to be ready to go."