COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri baseball team did enough to win its midweek game 5-3 against Chicago State on Tuesday at Taylor Stadium, but struggles on offense persisted.
The Tigers (25-12, 6-9 Southeastern Conference) have scored 21 runs in their last eight games dating back to the start of the Alabama series, just shy of a three runs per game average, and have scored eight runs in their last six SEC games and posted a 1-5 record in those games.
Despite facing four Cougars pitchers, each with an ERA greater than seven, Missouri needed a two-run home run from Trey Harris and an error from Chicago State's second baseman on a routine groundout to reach five runs and stranded 13 baserunners. Harris and Zach Hanna were the only Tigers hitters with multiple hits.
"We're just in a really big funk offensively, and we've got to figure out how to come out of that," head coach Steve Bieser said. "This was an opportunity for us to come out and really swing the bat well, and we didn't do a very good job of that. I think there's some pressing there in our lineup."
Brian Sharp threw four innings of
two-run ball and is now 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA. The Cougars (5-28) scored in the top of the first with a leadoff double, a sacrifice bunt and an RBI groundout. Harris' home run, a team-high sixth this season, put Missouri ahead in the third, but Chicago State answered in the fourth with more small-ball: a single with the runner moving up on a wild pitch, an infield single to third and a single up the middle tied the game at two.
Konnor Ash, Giovanni Lopez, Cody Siebenberger, Nolan Gromacki, Cameron Pferrer, Luke Anderson and Andy Toelken made relief appearances, but only Ash, Gromacki and Toelken, who earned his second save, threw an inning or more. Bieser planned to air out his bullpen in the midweek like usual, but was forced to use Toelken for 1 innings because of the lack of run support and the bullpen's struggles.
"It was simple," Bieser said of his message to the team after the game. "We just have to be better. We were not very good offensively today. We were fortunate that we were able to draw some walks and took advantage of an error. We've just got to be better offensively."
Missouri stayed perfect in midweek games: the Tigers are now 9-0 in all midweek games this season and 2-0 on the road.
Next for the team is a Thursday-Saturday series with Vanderbilt, ranked No. 12 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. The Commodores are 22-14, 9-6 in the SEC and not the ideal team to try to break out of an offensive slump against: their pitching staff holds a 3.90 ERA and holds opponents to a .238 batting average, and starters Patrick Raby, Drake Fellows and Mason Hickman collectively have a 3.48 ERA. The good news for Missouri is both Bryce Montes De Oca and Kameron Misner are expected to be back for the series.
Thursday's game starts at 7 p.m. and will be shown on ESPNU, while Friday's game begins at 6:30 p.m. start and Saturday is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start.