Crow, Tigers have a lot on the line

By Lenny Goldman

Published April 11, 2008

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. - Junior pitcher Aaron Crow will take the mound Friday night against Texas not only with hopes of winning game one of the series, but also with a chance to set an NCAA record.

It's possible that Crow will set the Division I record for a scoreless innings streak because it currently does not exist. While both Division II and Division III baseball leagues have kept track of the scoreless inning streak statistic, the same cannot be said for D-I ball.

"He's pretty lights out by himself," senior designated hitter Jacob Priday said. "I don't know if we have to do a whole lot but play defense behind him and put a few runs on the board. He knows what he's got to do and he's just got to keep doing what he's been doing."

Currently Crow's scoreless streak has stretched 42 2/3 innings long. There are four longer streaks that the MU athletic department has been able to track down, the longest of which is 47 2/3 innings by Tennessee's Todd Helton in 1994.

"It's unbelievable," freshman utility player Jonah Schmidt said about watching Crow pitch. "There are not much other words to express it. You don't see many Aaron Crows. It's a joy to watch him pitch."

Schmidt will have more chances to watch Crow pitch while actually playing on the field this weekend. He took advantage of his third start of the season on Wednesday against Missouri State by going 3-for-4 with his first career home run and three RBIs.

"We needed to see he him swing the bat," coach Tim Jamieson said. "We just needed to see if we could find a place for him to play. Not sure if third base is the place for him, but he'll play this weekend."

This weekend is a date that has been marked on Jamieson's calendar all year long, he said.

"We've played them well the last four years in particular, and I know our guys will be pumped up about playing them," Jamieson said. "Texas is always someone you want to set your sights up to because they're at the top of the league."

Last year the Tigers traveled to Austin and took two of three. In the first game Missouri won in a wild fashion. Senior center fielder Kurt Calvert gave the Tigers a one run advantage in the 11th inning when he scored from third after Texas catcher Preston Clark's throw to the mound floated over the pitcher's head and into centerfield. Junior right fielder Ryan Lollis later threw out a Texas runner at the plate with two outs to end the game.

This year the Tigers are looking to ride their momentum from the win over Missouri State and go head-to-head with the powerhouse again.

"We were just kind of being more aggressive," Priday said after beating Missouri State. "Hopefully, we can take that approach and momentum into the weekend. And that's what you try to do with the midweek. Just get some momentum going for the weekend especially when you've been struggling. Hopefully, this is kind of the turning point so to speak."