COLUMBIA, Mo. - Challenged by a busy schedule and quiet bats Tuesday, the Missouri baseball team drew 15 walks, including a walk-off walk in the bottom of the 10th to beat Saint Louis 4-3 at Taylor Stadium.
The Tigers (19-10-1) stranded 14 runners on the base paths and, despite loading the bases in the 2nd, 4th, 7th and 10th innings, scored just two runs in those situations, both driven in by walks.
"I do believe that, tonight especially, it felt like it was a mental thing," Missouri coach Steve Bieser said. "You've just got to turn the page, but it was like, 'Oh, this is deja vu, it's going to happen again, it's going to happen again.' I really felt like our team felt that way whenever they were going up, that' what's going to happen now is we're not going to score a run, again, and we've got to get past that."
Missouri had seven hits, all of which were singles. The Tiger hitters managed multiple hits in an inning twice during the game, and did not score a run in either inning.
Chad McDaniel's patience proved the difference at the plate against Ryan Lefner, who issued three straight walks in the bottom of the 10th inning, including a four-pitch walk to McDaniel to drive in Kameron Misner.
"Relieved," Bieser said of the dugout reaction. "I mean, they've got to go to class tomorrow. It seemed like we were going to be here all night."
Thomas Broyles hit 2-for-3 with three walks, two singles and a run scored, Misner was 0-for-3 with three walks and two runs scored, and McDaniel drove in two runs despite an 0-for-5 night at the plate. Peter Zimmerman and Chris Cornelius, Missouri's 3- and 4-hole hitters, combined to strand nine runners.
"It was really tough to watch that time after time," Bieser said of the stranded runners.
Neither Art Joven nor Billikens starter Luke Matheny - son of former Cardinals manager Mike Matheny, who was in attendance with his wife - earned a decision. Matheny threw four innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits and six walks with three strikeouts.
Another son, Jake Matheny, is being redshirted by Missouri this season.
Joven threw five innings and allowed two earned runs, four hits, three walks and struck out 10, matching the career-high he set March 19 against Murray State in 2 fewer innings. He threw 100 pitches, 70 for strikes.
"Art was a little spotty, his location wasn't very good, but he competed and got us through five innings with the lead," Bieser said. "We worked him pretty hard on the Texas trip there, and it was time for him to come out."
Jordan Gubelman gave up a run on four hits and a walk in 4 innings of relief, and struck out four. Gubelman was pulled in the top of the 10th in the middle of an at-bat after giving up a single to ex-Missouri player Shane Benes and hitting a batter. Cameron Dulle (2-3) came on to get two outs to get the win.
The Tigers play Kansas State at 3 p.m. today in a makeup game for a March 3 rainout.