Late-game heroics proved to be all for nothing, as the Mizzou Tigers (13-34, 0-24) surrendered a two-run homer in the top of the ninth, falling 4-2 to the No. 9 Georgia Bulldogs. The loss extended Missouri’s losing streak to 11 games, a new program record.
“We came into it today with a plan, and it’s kind of the same deal — I think our guys just have a lot of angst when they get into the box,” head coach Kerrick Jackson said in his postgame press conference. “We knew exactly what he was going to do, and we just weren’t able to stay consistent, see it through, and get it done.”
Mizzou got another strong outing on the mound but once again failed to provide run support. Starter Wil Libbert delivered one of the best performances of his career in just his third conference start, holding the Bulldogs scoreless through the first four innings while striking out five.
Georgia didn’t break through against Libbert until the fifth inning — and it started with a defensive miscue. A one-out error by third baseman Peyton Basler allowed a runner to reach, and a double from the next batter put runners on second and third. A single up the middle brought both home, giving the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead.
Wil Libbert’s final line: 5 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 78-58 (Total Pitches-Strikes)
“Just fatigue,” Jackson said when asked why Libbert was pulled. “I think this is actually the healthiest he’s ever been, but having him in that starter role is something he hasn’t done before. So it was just fatigue.”
After Libbert’s exit, senior Xavier Lovett was the first out of the bullpen, making his second appearance of the series. This outing went much differently than the first, as Lovett tossed two scoreless innings and allowed just one hit.
Lovett returned for a third inning but lasted just one batter, issuing a walk before being pulled in favor of Ian Lohse. Lohse nearly ran into trouble in his first inning of work, allowing a first-and-third situation, but escaped the eighth unscathed with a three-pitch, called strikeout to end the frame.
Lohse’s day ended after one inning, as head coach Kerrick Jackson turned back to the bullpen, calling on PJ Green for the second time in three games. After recording just one out and allowing a run on Friday, Green was given the ball for the top of the ninth — and once again, the decision came back to hurt Missouri.
“He’s a guy we’ve unfortunately had to use even when he wasn’t supposed to pitch,” Jackson said of Green. “He’s someone we want to keep using, but hopefully we can put him in a situation where he can get his mind right again. He has really, really good stuff — definitely better than most hitters — but the confidence has shifted a little bit. We just need to help him get that back and back on the right track.”
After issuing a leadoff walk to open the ninth, Green recorded a strikeout before the third batter he faced launched a towering two-run homer off the scoreboard, giving Georgia a 4-2 lead — a score that held to the end.
For the second game in a row, the Tigers struck first — but just like in Game 2, they couldn’t hold onto the lead.
After a leadoff single by Mateo Serna to open the bottom of the second, a sacrifice bunt by Keegan Knutson moved him into scoring position. A throwing error by the Georgia shortstop then allowed Tyler Macon to reach safely and Serna to score, giving the Tigers an early 1-0 lead.
After scoring their lone run in the second inning, the Tigers managed just two more hits over the next five frames. Cayden Nicoletto led off the fourth with a double, and Pierre Seals added a base hit in the sixth — but Missouri couldn’t turn either into runs.
“Basically, the majority of the hits they got were on pitches we didn’t execute,” Jackson said postgame about Libbert. “He’s able to pitch around those hits, so that’s encouraging. I think, again, as he matures, we need to minimize those mistakes so we’re not creating high-leverage innings for ourselves.”
The Tigers failed to strike again until the eighth inning, when they tied the game. A leadoff walk to Peyton Basler followed by a sacrifice bunt from Gehrig Goldbeck, pinch-hitting for Trey Callaway, set the stage. Jackson Lovich then singled to put runners on the corners, and Pierre Seals followed with a sacrifice fly to right, bringing in the tying run to make it 2-2.
For most of the game, the Tigers’ offense struggled to keep pace with Georgia’s, getting outhit 9-5. While the Bulldogs left 11 runners on base, Missouri stranded five of its own — a reflection of their continued struggles with timely hitting.
On the other hand, Missouri’s pitching continued to impress for the second straight game. Between Libbert, Lovett, and Lohse, the Tigers combined for eight innings of work, allowing just one earned run and tallying nine strikeouts.
“I think my message to them is that we’re an immature club,” Jackson said. “And I don’t mean that as individuals, but as baseball players. So we have to continue to grow, develop, and mature as a team.”
Green (1-3) took the loss for the Tigers, while Georgia’s Alton Davis II (5-0) earned the win and Zach Harris recorded his second save.
The Tigers will return to Taylor Stadium for one final home game before heading back on the road. They’ll face rival Kansas on Tuesday in the second game of their home-and-home Border War series. First pitch is set for 6 p.m. in Columbia, and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.
“Our lack of maturity as a club just manifested itself in those two close-game situations,” Jackson said.