Thanks in part to a massive seven-run second inning that sparked the offense, the Mizzou Tigers (13-23, 0-15 SEC) extended their non-conference winning streak with a nail-biting 10-9 victory over Missouri State.
“When you can start off with some zeros, that helps,” head coach Kerrick Jackson said postgame, referring to the difference between SEC play and non-conference games. “When you look at our midweeks — obviously minus Evansville — we were able to outscore teams. We played good defense as well. So, quality pitching and being able to go out and just be really productive on offense.”
The Tigers’ bats came alive in the second inning, erupting for seven runs to take an early lead. After a leadoff single by Pierre Seals, freshman Chris Patterson got Mizzou on the board with an RBI double. Patterson then advanced on a wild pitch and scored on a single from Peyton Basler, giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead with just one out in the inning.
The Bears pulled their starter following this, but things didn’t go any better for them after that. A Tyler Macon double and Keegan Knutson walk loaded the bases for Kaden Peer. After getting hit in the hands in his first at-bat, Peer got hit a second time, scoring another run for the Tigers and bringing up Jackson Lovich, who cleared the bases with one swing and put the Tigers up 7-0 in with a grand slam in just the second.
This marked the third game this season in which Lovich has recorded four or more RBIs, including his eight-RBI performance against UAPB on April 1, when he hit his first grand slam of the year.
“I would just say the focus of what I want the outcome to be,” Lovich said after the game, reflecting on his approach at the plate this season. “I think before, I was getting a little bit caught up in that, but now it’s just, ‘How can I have a quality at-bat each time?’ And if there’s a situation, I’m making sure that I’m just trying to do the job.”
After falling behind early, the Bears slowly began to chip away at the deficit. They scored their first run in the fourth inning after recording their first hit off starter Cam Libbert, then followed with a five-run fifth to pull within one, cutting Mizzou’s lead to 7-6.
The Bears completed the comeback with a solo home run in the top of the sixth, tying the game at 7. It marked the second-largest lead the Tigers have blown this season, trailing only the 8-0 advantage they gave up against Illinois — a game they still managed to win.
Mizzou quickly regained control with a dominant three-run bottom of the sixth. After leadoff hits from Tyler Macon and Keegan Knutson, a groundout by Kaden Peer brought in the go-ahead run. Jackson Lovich followed with a triple, and Cayden Nicoletto capped the rally with a two-run homer, giving the Tigers a 10-7 lead.
All of Mizzou’s offensive production backed a solid outing from starter Wil Libbert. He opened the game with three no-hit innings before allowing his first hit and run in the fourth. Libbert exited in the fifth with the bases loaded, turning things over to sophomore Kadden Drew.
“If we could stretch him to get another zero out of him, a quality inning, you want to try and do so, obviously,” Jackson said postgame about sending Libbert back out for the fifth. “We had some guys that we knew we could use and were going to be reliable today, but I was wanting to — again, one of the things I’ve been trying to do with him, too — is to kind of push that count a little bit to see if he can hold stuff.”
Libbert’s final line: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 4 ER, 3 BB, 7 K, 83-52 (Total pitches-Strikes)
The bullpen did its job for the Tigers, despite some bumps along the way. After taking over for Libbert, Kadden Drew went two innings, allowing three runs on four hits and was responsible for the Bears tying the game. Once he was pulled, freshman P.J. Green came in and held the lead, keeping Missouri State off the board for the rest of the game to secure the win.
“He’s been one of our more consistent dudes,” Jackson said after the game when discussing his decision to leave Green in for the ninth. “When you look at what he’s done, he’s gotten hit around a little bit, but he’s thrown strikes. He’s got really good stuff.”
The Bears came within one run of tying the game on two separate occasions, including a tense moment in the top of the ninth. After Green opened the inning with a strikeout, a one-out walk set the stage for a two-run homer, cutting Mizzou’s lead to 10-9.
The Tigers’ bats delivered in a big way, tallying 11 hits as a team — six of them for extra bases. The offensive surge was highlighted by strong performances from Pierre Seals and Jackson Lovich, who both recorded two hits and boosted their batting averages. Lovich now leads the team with a .356 average, while Seals sits second at .318.
This marks the Tigers’ fifth consecutive non-conference win. While their struggles in SEC play have continued in 2025, they’ve made up for it with dominant non-conference performances, averaging 13 runs per game over that five-game stretch.
Green (1-1) earned the win for the Tigers, while the Bears’ Jackson Holmes (4-4) took the loss.
The Tigers return to SEC play this weekend as the Oklahoma Sooners visit Columbia for the first time since 2011 for a three-game series. Game 1 is set for Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. at Taylor Stadium.