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Mizzou baseball drops series opener

After a magical weekend on the road, the Missouri Tiger baseball team turned back into a pumpkin Thursday night, dropping the opener of the final series of the season 25-7 to Mississippi State.

The Bulldogs jumped ahead with three runs in the first, added one in the second, then fourth in the fourth and four more in the sixth to break out to a 12-0 lead.

The Tigers finally responded with four runs in the bottom of the sixth and three more in the seventh to cut the lead to 12-7, but Mississippi State added three runs in the eighth then burst through for 10 in the ninth.

In the sixth, Isaiah Frost walked and Mateo Serna singled to put runners on first and second for Keegan Knutson who sent a single through the left side of the infield for an RBI.

Tyler Macon grounded out to advance the runners to second and third, then Jackson Lovich sent his 12th home run of the season over the wall in center to bring home Knutson and Serna.

In the seventh, Peyton Basler was hit by a pitch and Frost singled before Serna sent his eighth home run of the year over the right-center field wall to bring in three runs.

Missouri had nine total hits, led by two each from Frost (2-for-2 with two runs scored and two walks), Serna (2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs scored, a walk and a home run) and Pierre Seals (2-for-4 with a walk).

Lovich had a home run to go 1-for-4 with three RBI, a run scored and a walk, while Cayden Nicoletto doubled to go 1-for-5. Knutson was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored.

The Tigers went through a host of pitchers.

Brady Kehlenbrink started and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and a hit batter, while striking out four.

Kaden Jacobi came on for the next 2.0 innings, allowing five runs on six hits and a walk, while striking out four.

Ben Smith got two outs, striking out one to complete the sixth.

Victor Christal pitched the next 1.1, allowing three runs on two walks, a hit batter and one hit, while striking out three.

PJ Green then got the next two outs, allowing two hits and striking out one.

Josh Kirchhoff got the first out of the ninth, but allowied four hits, a walk and a hit batter along the way to allowing six runs. The lone out he got was a strikeout.

Seth McCartney got the second out of the ninth, allowing three hits, a walk and a hit batter on the way to allowing four runs.

Nicoletto came on for the final out and got the only batter he faced to fly out.

Mississippi State had 23 hits, five walks and four batters hit by pitches.

The teams will match up again today at 6 p.m.

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