Tigers defeat Western Illinois 18-4

The Tigers will play a three-game series against No. 1 Texas in Austin.

By JJ Stankevitz

Published March 13, 2009

Missouri knocked off Western Illinois 18-4 Tuesday due in part to a team-wide hitting display and a solid nine-man pitching effort.

Missouri hitters banged out 17 hits, took 12 walks and were hit by three pitches in an impressive offensive showing that was made better by four errors and eight wild pitches by Western Illinois. Ryan Gebhart, Greg Folgia, Trevor Coleman, Aaron Senne, Conner Mach and Steve Gray all logged two hits in the game and Folgia, Coleman and T.J. Schieber drew two walks apiece. Coleman, Mach and Andrew Thigpen each drove in two runs and Gray added three RBIs of his own.

"This was the best we've swung the bats all year, and that's a big lift for them," coach Tim Jamieson said.

A big lift for Missouri in Tuesday's game came in the top of the first. After sophomore pitcher Tyler Clark walked the second batter he faced, Drew Laidig of Western Illinois laced a line drive into the right field corner for what looked like a sure extra-base hit. Senne was able to stay with the ball and make a spectacular diving catch before getting up and doubling the runner off at first base to end the inning.

"Thank God it stuck in my glove," Senne said of his catch. "I didn't know if it was going to because it was so cold."

Despite a temperature drop into the 30s, Missouri's offense started the game off hot with five consecutive base hits to lead off the bottom of the first. Some sloppy play by Western Illinois and a double by Thigpen allowed four runs to score in the inning, giving Missouri a lead it would not relinquish. A 10-run fourth for Missouri put the game well out of reach for Western Illinois, which remained winless on the season.

"A lot of guys are swinging the bats a lot better than they were earlier in the year," Senne said. "That individual confidence boost is going to be big."

Coleman echoed that sentiment.

"This is a team willing to make adjustments," Coleman said of Missouri's offense. "We're a different team than we were when we started."

Another big confidence boost came from the performance of Missouri's pitchers in the victory. Clark, Phil McCormick, Kelly Fick, Andrew Mueller, Ryan Clubb, Jeff Emens, Brad Buehler, Brian Carr and Ryan Gargano threw an inning apiece, with McCormick and Carr being the only pitchers to allow a run in their respective outings.

"One of the strengths of our team is that we have guys who are good for an inning," Jamieson said. "It's not even out of the realm of possibility that you'll see that in conference play."

Clark, Buehler and Gargano have all put together back-to-back scoreless appearances, and with Scooter Hicks pitching well as the team's closer Missouri's bullpen is shaping up nicely for Big 12 play.

With wins in five of the last six games, Missouri has gone a long way toward erasing the disappointing memories of the team's 2-7 start to the season.

"We needed to gain some confidence," Jamieson said. "I'm not sure we're completely where we want to be, but we're certainly better than we were 10 days ago confidence-wise."