Missouri baseball had its best offensive performance of the season in a game versus the reigning national champions. The Tigers put up 19 runs on 16 hits in an offensive showcase versus Mississippi state. 

Each player in the Mizzou starting lineup had at least one hit, one rbi and one run as the Tigers kept the line moving all afternoon, scoring in every inning before the seventh. With the wind blowing out to center on Saturday, Missouri was able to carry the ball into the jet-stream for four homeruns. 

Missouri starter Spencer Miles labored in the first inning. Miles allowed five runners to reach base without the ball leaving the infield due to a walk, hit batter and three infield singles. He limited the damage of a bases loaded jam with no-outs, giving up just two runs in the inning. 

In the bottom of the first, Missouri took the lead and never looked back. Mississippi State pitcher Preston Johnson walked the bases loaded and Fox Leum capitalized with a deep grand slam to straight away centerfield. 

The two sides went back and forth up until the sixth inning, where Missouri held a ten to four lead due in part to homers from Luke Mann and Ross Lovich. 

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Missouri blew the game wide open. The Tigers scored nine runs on seven hits and three walks. Lovich hit his second home run of the day to open up the scoring in the sixth. He went 3-for-5 with four RBI on the day. After that, Mizzou strung hits together as 14 batters stepped to the plate in the inning. 

Missouri led 19-6 after the sixth inning, making the rest of the game nothing more than a formality although Mississippi State tacked on two more runs in the ninth.  

Nineteen runs is the most Missouri has scored in an SEC matchup since the school joined the conference in 2012

Spencer Miles was awarded the win after he gave up five runs in five innings for Missouri. Preston Johnson was handed the loss. 

Something You Might Have Missed 

At one point, Mississippi State starter Preston Johnson had struck out seven batters but only had recorded six outs. 

In the bottom of the third inning, Ty Wilmesmeyer reached first on a dropped third strike after Johnson struck out the side in the first two innings. This means Johnson was credited with a strikeout that was not recorded as an official out. 

Johnson had nine strikeouts through the first three innings. Despite the offensive outbreak, Missouri struck out 16 times in a game where they only batted eight innings. 

Quote of the Game 

“Nothing like a dog and 19 runs,” said KCOU Broadcaster Aidan O’Connor, before his mustard was blown away due to the windy conditions.