Missouri welcomed in-state rival Missouri State to beautiful Taylor Stadium for an out of conference matchup. The Tigers entered 21-12 on the season, while the Bears came to Columbia 14-17 on the season. Missouri brought out Christian Wall to battle Reece Lang. 

The Tigers had the bases loaded in the bottom of the first, but Lang was able to induce a strike out and a fly ball to get out of the jam. Both pitchers were dominant early on. The top of the third came and went for the Bears, but the bottom of the third was a different story for the Tigers.

The rain started coming down at Taylor, but the runs came in bunches. Trevor Austin worked a walk, and then oh Man did it get better as Luke Mann hit a two-run homer that just carried over the right-field wall making it 2-0 in favor of the Tigers. Tre Morris hit a bases clearing two-run double and the Tigers were up 4-0. Morris scored on a wild pitch, and the Tigers put up five runs in the inning. 

Missouri State wouldn’t go down quietly. The Bears were able to come roaring back into the game with a fielder’s choice. Then, they would find some offensive production from senior Jaden Rolffs as he hit an RBI-single to left cutting the tigers lead to just three. This all happened in the top of the fourth.

Mann again delivered for the Tigers in the bottom of the sixth, driving an RBI-double into the gap. Mann had three RBI in the game and added a bulk of the scoring for Missouri. The offensive showing didn’t stop for the bears. In the top of the seventh inning, Columbia native Spencer Nivens hit a two-run homer over the right field wall cutting the Tigers deficit to just two runs. 

The game came down to the top of the ninth. The Tigers just needed one out after Austin Troesser was able to get two quick outs for the tigers. Then, the Tigers fell apart. Nivens would walk, Grant Wood would double and Drake Baldwin would also walk on four-straight balls .

Just like that, the bags were full of Bears. Mason Greer would watch four-straight balls as Troesser would walk in a run making it a one-run game — Troesser threw eight-straight balls.

Manager Steve Bieser would go to Ian Lohse to finish out this game, while Lohse was able to get a huge strikeout to end the game and bring the Tigers to a record of 22-12. Missouri left 11 runners on the base paths in a game that was way too close for its liking. 

Next up for the Tigers is a three-game road trip to Louisiana, as they will take on No. 22 LSU starting Thursday. First pitch is set for 7:00 p.m.