CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – An eighth inning error and a pair of bases loaded walks proved costly as Missouri held off Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 7-6 Thursday night at Chapman Field.
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For the most part, it was all going to play for the Islanders (1-3) as the Blue and Green chased preseason All-American and projected top 10 MLB draft pick Tanner Houck in the fifth inning.
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The Islanders tagged Houck for five runs, four of which came in the bottom of the fifth frame. The Islanders recorded six hits off the Mizzou (4-1) ace and claimed a 5-4 lead after five thanks to a 2-run single from
Nick Anderson and an RBI knock by
Nkosi Djehuti-Mes.
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Mizzou rallied back, knotting the game at 5-5 in the top of the seventh. Chris Cornelius laid down a perfect safety squeeze up the first base line to plate.
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Devin Skapura went 6 1/3 innings in his second start of the year. The senior allowed five runs, all earned, yet gave the Islanders a chance to win. After two 2-run shots in the top of the third, Skapura settled in and hung four consecutive zeroes on the board. He finished the day with six strikeouts to just a single walk.
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Mizzou's eventual game-winning runs came in the top of the eighth as a dropped third strike lead to a throwing error. That allowed the Tigers to load the bases and walk in two unearned runs.
David Worrell (1-1) was charged with the loss, despite not surrendering an earned run. Worrell allowed two hits in 1 1/3 inning of work.
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"I think the biggest message at the end was that I was as positive as could be with these guys," said head coach
Scott Malone. "We talked about two things: it's a good SEC club with a lot of talent and when they hit us, I want us to respond. They get four in the second and kind of knock us on our heels. Then, here we go. We responded in the middle innings. "
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AT THE PLATE
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Lukas Hermanson had a stellar day with the bat, going 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Freshman
Dalton Stark joined Hermanson with a two-hit night adding a double himself.
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Other notables included a 2-RBI night from
Nick Anderson and RBI from
Itchy Burts,
Nkosi Djehuti-Mes and
Drake Osborn.
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IMPACT INNINGS
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TOP 2
>> Brett Bond singled to start a four-run inning for the Tigers.
>> Mizzou used a pair of 2-run blasts as Alex Samples and Robbie Glendinning went deep to right center field.
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BOTTOM 5
>> The Islanders scored four runs on four hits to take a 5-4 lead.
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Lukas Hermanson and
Cullen Jozwiak opened the inning with back-to-back singles and would both come around to score.
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Nick Anderson laced a 2-run single back up the middle to tie the game at 4-4.
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Nkosi Djehuti-Mes dropped a single into no-man's land down the right field line to give the Blue and Green the lead.
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BOTTOM 7
>> The Islanders loaded the bases with no outs but Mizzou escaped thanks to a 1-2-3 double play and a strikeout.
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TOP 8
>> Mizzou scored twice on just one hit after a throwing error on a strikeout and two bases loaded walks.
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BOTTOM 9
>> The Islanders got the tying and game-winning runs into scoring position, but
Brian Deaver lined out to left to end the game.
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Drake Osborn knocked home one run with an RBI-single in his first career at-bat.
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