After qualifying for the SEC Tournament under the league’s new format as the No. 16 seed, Missouri saw its season come to an end with a 4-1 loss to No. 9 Alabama in the first round.
Sam Horn set the tone early for the Tigers, opening the game with three scoreless innings.
Despite running into trouble at times — issuing five walks, including three to load the bases in the third — Horn managed to work through three strong innings against an Alabama team that led the SEC in runs scored over the first three innings, averaging more than 3.0 per game.
Sam Horn’s final line: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 5 BB, 2 K, 57-30 (TP-S)
The scoreless tie was finally broken in the top of the fourth — and it was Missouri that struck first. A 2-1 slider left over the plate to first baseman Mateo Serna was hammered over the right-field fence, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
In classic Mizzou fashion, the lead didn’t last long.
Facing new Mizzou pitcher Wil Libbert, Alabama put two runners on with one out before back-to-back singles by Justin Lebron and Kade Snell tied the game and then gave the Crimson Tide a 2-1 lead.
Another run didn’t cross the plate until the seventh — once again coming from the Crimson Tide off Libbert. After a leadoff walk and a one-out single, a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. A shallow pop fly to right field was enough to bring home a run, extending Alabama’s lead to 3-1.
The final run of the game came in the bottom of the eighth, when a solo shot to center field off a Libbert fastball pushed Alabama’s lead to 4-1. Mizzou threatened in the top of the ninth, loading the bases, but a stellar defensive play by Alabama’s first baseman saved multiple runs. One final out sealed the win for the Crimson Tide — and ended the Tigers’ season.
Despite managing just one run, the Tigers didn’t go down quietly at the plate. Missouri tallied nine hits as a team but left 12 runners on base — a reflection of the same struggles with timely hitting that plagued them throughout the season. Of the game’s 21 combined hits between both teams, only two went for extra bases, both solo home runs.
Two Tigers closed out the season on high notes — both encouraging signs for different reasons. Center fielder Kaden Peer, who is expected to return and help lead the team next year, went 3-for-4 with a stolen base. Meanwhile, shortstop Jackson Lovich, likely playing in his final game for Missouri, capped off a standout season by going 2-for-4.
This marks the fourth straight one-and-done appearance for Missouri in the SEC Tournament. The Tigers haven’t won a game in Hoover since going 1-2 in 2017 — nine seasons ago. Mizzou finished the year ranked No. 146 in the RPI, with the next closest SEC team, South Carolina, coming in at No. 72.
As the No. 16 seed in the SEC Tournament, Missouri finished the season ranked last in nearly every major statistical category, both offensively and defensively. At the plate, the Tigers posted a team batting average of .265, while their pitching staff closed the year with a 9.28 ERA.
With the loss, Missouri’s 2025 season ends the same way it began — with a defeat. The Tigers finished 16-38 overall and 3-27 in SEC play, marking not only the worst season in program history but also one of the worst in SEC baseball history. Still, there are signs of hope. Head coach Kerrick Jackson, now two years into his tenure, has begun assembling the pieces for future success. Now, he just needs to avoid another year derailed by injuries.
Wil Libbert (3-4) took the loss in Missouri’s final game, while Alabama’s Tyler Fay (1-2) earned the win and Carson Ozmer picked up his 17th save. The victory advances the Crimson Tide to face Tennessee in the next round on Wednesday.