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 Derek Roper picked up his third win of the season for the Tigers |
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Big Innings Key Tigers' 16-11 Win
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March 19, 2003
COLUMBIA, MO. - RBI hits from Brad Flanders (Smithville, Mo.), Ryan Rallo (Chesterfield, Mo.) and Cody Ehlers (Stillwater, Okla.) keyed a seven-run, eighth-inning rally as the Missouri Tigers beat Illinois State, 16-11 Wednesday at Taylor Stadium/Simmons Field.
After the start of the game was delayed 30 minutes by rain, Missouri (13-8) jumped out to an 8-0 lead in the first. Redbirds' starter Kyle Bloom walked the first seven batters he faced, and the Tigers' only hits in the inning were RBI singles from SS Adam Garrett (Sikeston, Mo.), CF Jayce Tingler (Smithville, Mo.) and LF Tyrone Roberson (St. Louis, Mo.) All but one of Missouri's starters scored in the frame, which featured 12 plate appearances.
Illinois State (5-6) scored two in the second off of Tiger starter Nick Admire (Lebanon, Mo.). Admire allowed just two hits and two runs in two innings of work. The freshman also struck out three for Missouri.
In the bottom of the fourth, Tiger third baseman Zane Taylor (Kirksville, Mo.) walked, then came around to score on a RBI double by Rallo. Missouri led at that point, 9-3.
Tiger reliever Taylor Parker (Bellaire, Texas) ran into some trouble in the fifth. Parker surrendered six runs, four earned, on five hits and allowed the Redbirds to tie the game, 9-9. Parker was relieved in the inning by Travis Wendte (Moore, Okla.), who stopped the bleeding in the fifth, but did allow Illinois State to take a 11-9 lead in the sixth.
The Tigers weren't finished yet, however. Tingler and Roberson led off the bottom of the eighth with back-to-back walks off Redbirds' reliever Jeremy Accardo, then came around to score. Ehlers drove in two runs with a double later in the frame, and Garrett capped off a 2-for-4 night with a 2-RBI single.
Missouri junior Derek Roper (3-1) made his first relief appearance of the season, pitching two scoreless innings for the win.
Missouri continues its homestand this weekend against their Border War rival Kansas Jayhawks. The teams will play a three-game Big 12 series at Taylor Stadium/Simmons Field. Game one is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m. For ticket information, call 1-800-CAT-PAWS (573-884-PAWS in Mid-Missouri).
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