Batting order behind Priday makes for important decision

By Sam Wilson
April 18, 2008

Senior outfielder Jacob Priday hit his 46th career home run on Wednesday, setting the Missouri career record. During his 13-home-run season, Priday has locked up the cleanup position in the MU batting order. He has started every game in that spot since March 16. But who hits behind him has been debated.

In Wednesday’s 16-9 win against William Woods, junior outfielder Ryan Lollis batted behind Priday in the fifth spot in the batting order. It was Lollis’ 10th time batting in that spot. He had one hit and one RBI and drew three walks.

“He clears the bases it seems like every time,” Lollis said. “So I feel like I have to get on and just create other opportunities.”

Lollis is hitting .325 on the season. He’s also had 12 appearances in both the second and third spots in the batting order.

“Usually, if he hits a home run and I’m after him, I tend to walk,” Lollis said. “Because they’re probably so sick of how that ball went that he hit before. I don’t know, it’s just like any other at bat.”

Sophomore outfielder Aaron Senne batted in the third spot in the order Wednesday, his 13th appearance this season. Senne has also started 12 games in the fifth position in the batting order. Senne said there’s a downside to hitting behind Priday.

“There’s never anyone on base,” he said.

Senne said he prefers hitting in the third spot, immediately before Priday.

“That way he hasn’t hit a home run and cleared the bases yet,” Senne said.

Coach Tim Jamieson said selecting who bats immediately before Priday and immediately after Priday is an important decision.

“You need to have a guy or two in front of him so Jake comes up with people on base,” Jamieson said. “It’s much harder to pitch around him. But if there is an open base, you want someone behind him that can hurt the team if they decide to pitch around him. I think Lollis can do that”

Jamieson lists three players as potential No. 5 hitters: Lollis, Senne and sophomore catcher Trevor Coleman. Lollis has 27 RBI’s to go along with his .325 average. Senne is hitting .358 with eight home runs and 45 RBI’s. Coleman is hitting .274 with 17 RBI’s. Jamieson said he doesn’t expect one of them to emerge as the everyday No. 5 hitter. Some of it, he says, will depend on whether the team is facing a right-handed or left-handed pitcher. Coleman is a switch hitter. Lollis and Senne both bat left-handed.

“When we face a left-handed pitcher, Coleman will probably bat third because he’s better from the right side than he is from the left side,” Jamieson said. “And that gives you Lollis in the two hole and then Coleman, and then Priday and then Senne.”

As of right now, Jamieson said there are only two players with consistent slots in the batting order.

“Priday will be in the four hole and (sophomore second baseman Greg) Folgia will be in the leadoff,” Jamieson said. “Outside of that, we’ll kind of move guys around a little bit.”

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