In their first extra-inning game of the year, the Missouri Tigers fell to the Binghamton Bearcats, 8-7, in 13 innings. Despite the loss, the Tigers outhit the Bearcats, 14-13.
"We had opportunities to win, and we didn't take advantage of those," head coach Kerrick Jackson said after the game. "I think a couple of times we tried to do a little bit too much, and there were times when it just didn't go our way."
Starting pitcher Ian Lohse began strong, keeping the Bearcats at bay for most of his outing. He allowed just two hits and two runs in his first five innings of work. His first blemish came in the fourth inning. After giving up his first hit to the leadoff batter, Lohse struck out two of the next three batters, walking the other and putting men on the corners with two outs.
That’s when back-to-back singles from the Bearcats scored their first two runs of the game, putting them ahead of the Tigers, 2-1. The Tigers’ first run came in the third inning, with Cayden Nicoletto scoring on a wild pitch after hitting a stand-up triple.
The Tigers took the lead in the fifth with a five-run inning, sparked by Kaden Peer, who led off the inning with a bunt single. He was brought in to tie the game on an RBI single from Mateo Serna. After the next two batters were retired, the Tigers had a man on second with two outs.
An intentional walk to Brady Picarelli and a hit-by-pitch to Jackson Lovich loaded the bases for Peyton Balser. Before Balser could bat, the Bearcats pulled their starter, but it made no difference.
Basler roped a two-RBI single to right-center, scoring Picarelli and Nicoletto while moving Lovich to third. Lovich quickly scored on a balk, advancing Basler to second and giving the Tigers a 5-2 lead.
Mizzou capped off the inning by plating one more run after a Pear Seals double down the line scored Basler. However, Seals was thrown out at second to end the inning, with the Tigers leading 6-2. That lead didn’t last long, though, as the Bearcats tied the game in the top of the sixth.
After Lohse gave up two hits and hit a batter, allowing a run to score, he was replaced by James Vaughn. Vaughn allowed three more runs before finishing the inning, leaving the game tied at six. This brought Lohse’s total to five runs allowed, as he was taken out after three innings, with Vaughn giving up the other two.
Right-handed pitcher PJ Green came in to start the seventh and did his job in his first inning of work, allowing three hits but leaving the bases loaded. However, the Bearcats got to him in his second inning, a pattern that has plagued much of the Tigers' pitching staff this season.
After getting the first batter to ground out, a hit-by-pitch and a single gave the Bearcats a prime opportunity to take the lead. They capitalized on an RBI groundout to second, marking their first lead since the fourth inning, now ahead 7-6.
The Tigers tied it up in the bottom half, scoring a run on an RBI sac fly from Serna, which sent the game into extras for the first time this year.
Xavier Lovett took the mound for the Tigers in extra innings and kept the Bearcats at bay, throwing five no-hit innings. He didn't allow a hit until two outs in the 13th inning. Lovett was pulled after giving up a run in the 13th, with the Tigers trailing 8-7.
The game continued to go back and forth, with each team having opportunities to score. However, the only team to capitalize was the Bearcats, who defeated the Tigers 8-7 in 13 innings.
"He's one of our toughest, if not our toughest, competitors," Jackson said about Lovett after his outing. "He's the most athletic out on the mound as well. He saw he was able to fill this position aggressively, and it was an opportunity where he came in and gave us multiple chances to win the game."
This game marked the first time this season that the Tigers recorded no errors in a nine-inning game. They had only one other game without an error, a seven-inning win over Evansville. The Tigers' first error of the game came in the 12th inning on a misplayed ground ball at third.
The Tigers got strong performances at the plate from Basler and Knutson, each recording three hits. Basler added two RBIs, while Knutson drove in one. Knutson’s first hit of the season came in the sixth inning, a double down the right-field line.
Another notable achievement was Serna’s first hit of the game, which extended his hit streak to eight games, continuing to make him the rock of the offense this season.
Lovett (0-1) was charged with the loss, while Binghamton's Ben Griffith (1-0) earned the win.
The Tigers will have two opportunities to bounce back from the loss, starting at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader against Binghamton in Columbia.