COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri baseball team couldn't finish the sweep of No. 12 Vanderbilt on Saturday afternoon at Taylor Stadium, but a 6-2 loss capped a successful weekend for a program looking to get back to an NCAA Regional for the first time since 2012.
The Tigers (27-13, 8-10 Southeastern Conference) won their first-ever series against the Commodores with Friday night's 3-1 victory, and they were winless all-time against Vanderbilt until last season's 2-1 win in 12 innings.
"We're making good strides, you can look at going into LSU, never winning a series against Mississippi State (before this season), a lot of the things we're doing, they're good things," Missouri coach Steve Bieser said. "But I don't want to put these other programs on a pedestal, that we can't compete with them. We've got to feel, and our guys have to feel, that we can compete in any series on any weekend, and it's all about playing the best baseball. If they truly believe that, if we go out and play the best baseball, then they won't be doubting themselves.
"We've got to get over that hurdle here, and I think that there's been a hurdle there for a while."
Missouri took the series from one of the SEC's best programs despite having just 14 hits and seven runs across the three games. TJ Sikkema and Tyler LaPlante turned in excellent starts, and the team's bullpen and defense held off the Commodores (24-16, 10-8 SEC) until the offense could find an answer Thursday and Friday.
But Saturday, unlike the first two games, the Commodores scored first. The Tigers couldn't bring Matt Berler home from third with one out, and Vanderbilt scored in the fourth and the fifth innings with two outs on softly hit balls that found just the right holes.
The Commodores made it 5-0 in the sixth on two singles, a triple and a sacrifice fly, all charged to Michael Plassmeyer, Missouri's most consistent starter during the past month.
"They came well-prepared today," said Plassmeyer, who threw 5 innings, allowed eight hits and five earned runs, walked one and struck out seven in his second loss this season. "It was my breaking ball, mainly. I just didn't have it. Tried to pick it up, but it wasn't there."
Vanderbilt's leadoff hitter, Austin Martin, was 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs, Ethan Paul hit 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs, and the Commodores put their leadoff man on base in five straight innings, from the fourth to the eighth.
Starting pitcher Mason Hickman threw seven innings, gave up four hits and two unearned runs, struck out four and walked none. Berler hit two doubles off Hickman, including a two-RBI hit to left field that drove in Brett Bond and Cade Bormet in the bottom of the seventh.
Bieser said the team came into the series and understood it was a must-win situation. He was proud they were able to pull through but said Missouri will need at least a win in its final four series against Kentucky, Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee to make a regional, needing to win three of the four series to feel secure about its chances.
The Wildcats and Bulldogs are nationally ranked, and Missouri is tied with Kentucky for fourth in the SEC East and sits 2 games back of second-place Georgia.
Kameron Misner did not play all weekend and was in a walking boot because of a fracture in his foot, but Bieser is hopeful for Misner's return by the Kentucky series, which starts next Friday. Shortstop Chris Cornelius was a late scratch from Saturday's lineup because of concussion-like symptoms due to a play at first base in Friday's game.
Missouri will host Missouri State at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday. The Tigers beat the Bears 8-6 earlier this month in Springfield.