Mizzou baseball takes rubber game against #4 Florida
April 05, 2015 | Sports,
By: Luke Johns, KCOU Sports
After splitting the first two games of the weekend series against the Florida Gators, the Tigers looked to win the three game series Sunday afternoon. The starting pitcher matchup featured Peter Fairbanks (2-3 2.39 ERA entering Sunday) for Mizzou and Dane Dunning (4-0 2.38 ERA entering Sunday) for Florida.
Florida struck first with a solo home run to right center by Josh Tobias in the 2nd inning. The home run was his fourth and 22nd run batted in. Fairbanks had a tendency throughout the game to allow base runners but ultimately would strand them, stranding four runners in five innings. Fairbanks has also allowed three earned runs or fewer in each start this season.
The 5th inning was where all of Mizzou’s offense came from. It began with Alex Del Rio’s one out single to center field driving in Zach Lavy. It was Del Rio’s first career hit and RBI. The Tigers then took a 2-1 lead on an infield single by Brett Peel bringing home Del Rio, and chased Dunning in the process. Two batters later, Ryan Howard blew it open with a bomb into the Missouri bullpen. It was Howard’s second homerun of the season. When the inning finally ended, Mizzou had a 5-1 lead. Despite giving up the home run, the Gators bullpen did a good job keeping the Tigers off the scoreboard after the 5th.
Andrew Scwaab and Breckin Williams followed Fairbanks on the mound. Williams pitched a perfect 8th inning but made things interesting in the 9th. Florida managed to get two runs during their last at-bats but ultimately it was too little, too late.
Other notable performers were Case Munson of Missouri going 2-4 with a double and single, as well as Buddy Reed of Florida with a triple, single and a stolen base.
Kids under 12 were given free admission on this Easter Sunday. It may have made a difference as there was a large crowd present cheering on the Tigers. The total attendance was 1,151.
Missouri won 5-3. Peter Fairbanks picked up the win improving to 3-3. Dane Dunning took the loss and dropped to 4-1.
Missouri is off until Thursday when they take on the Tennessee Volunteers in Knoxville for a three-game series.