Artwork by
Dennis Murphy

For the students, by the students

Baseball Tigers win first series, home against Western Illinois Tuesday
Ryan Maris, Corner Post Staff

February 29, 2004 - Having split the first two games Friday and Saturday, Sunday's game against Youngstown State was the "rubber game" of the Tigers first home series. The Tigers bounced back after a tough loss. The team came out in a big way, winning eight to one, scoring in six of the eight innings they batted. This brought the Tigers to eight wins and two losses on the year. They will stay at home this week, facing Western Illinois (4-3), Tuesday and Wednesday.

In the second inning, Lee Laskowski hit his second home run in as many games, sending a liner 350 down the left field line. Cosme Caballero was half of the Tigers offense on the day, driving in four runs with a single and a sacrifice fly. After the Tigers jumped out to an early three to nothing lead in the third, the Penguins of Youngstown State finally answered with a run in the fourth inning, their only run on the day. The Penguins pulled their starting pitcher in the bottom of the fourth after the Tigers tacked on another run to make it four to one.

Mizzou then doubled their score in the sixth inning starting with a lead off double from Tyler Williams. Jeremy Hernandez sent Williams home on a pinch-hit RBI single. After Zane Taylor singled and Ryan Rallo walked, this loaded the bases for Cosme Caballero, who knocked in two more Tigers with a single off of the Penguins third pitcher of the day. The scoring for the day ended with Cody Ehlers RBI sacrifice fly. In the seventh inning the Tigers pulled their starting pitcher, Garrett Broshius, after a great day on the mound. They brought in Taylor Parker, who iced the Penguins two innings in a row, striking out five of the six men he faced in order.

The Tigers then opened the flood gates with pinch hitters, letting many players see some action on the home field this weekend. There were almost 500 people out to watch the Tigers on a mediocre day, although the rain did hold off until the game ended. The wind was blowing out and it showed with many lazy pop-ups floating closer to the fences. Pitcher Garrett Broshius moved to three wins and no losses on the year, tossing six innings Sunday while only giving up one run, striking out five while walking two.

When asked how he felt the opening series went, Manager Tim Jamieson said, "We'd like to win all three, but the pitching and hitting got better as the weekend progressed."

On another note he said that the starting pitching was really good, giving up only four runs to the Penguins in a three game series. The Tigers lost the first game Friday three to two and came back to win Saturday seven to zero. This brought the Tigers to eight and two on the season, while outscoring their opponents 80 to 33.

The Tigers are at home again Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. and Wednesday at 4 p.m. against Western Illinois before taking a 10-day road trip to Washington (6-3), and then Tennessee, where they will play Wake Forest (3-3), Indiana State (1-3), Memphis (3-1), and Tennessee-Martin (3-5) in the Easton Challenge.

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