University of Tennessee
Missouri
Tennessee Edged by Missouri in Game Two, 6-5
April 30, 2016 | Baseball
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- After rallying for four runs in the top of the seventh inning on Saturday, Tennessee struggled to maintain a lead as Missouri came back to win a 6-5 decision over the Vols at Taylor Stadium.
With the loss, Tennessee moves to 24-20 on the season and 6-14 in SEC play, while Mizzou is now 23-21 (6-14 SEC) over 44 games this year.
The Vols' offense combined for nine hits in the contest, led by Benito Santiago (3-for-4, RBI) and Nick Senzel (2-for-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI), who recorded his second multi-homer game of the year.
Home runs by Mizzou's Ryan Howard and Brett Bond provided the Tigers with an early 3-0 lead after the second inning.
Tennessee was held scoreless by Tigers starter Tanner Houck until the seventh, when Senzel drove a solo home run over the left-center field wall to give UT their first run of the day.
The Vols went on to plate four runs in the top of the seventh, as Vincent Jackson (1-for-4) and Jordan Rodgers (0-for-4) reached base on back-to-back fielding errors by Mizzou. With no outs, Santiago ripped an RBI-double to left and a sac fly by DH Leno Ramirez (0-for-2, RBI) scored another run in the next at-bat. Jared Pruett (1-for-4, RBI) then hit an RBI-single to center field, giving UT a 4-3 lead over Mizzou.
A leadoff double by MU's Bond, a wild pitch and an RBI-single by pinch-hitter Kirby McGuire tied the game at 4-4 in the seventh.
Senzel came through again for UT in the eighth, blasting his second home run of the game to straight-away center and giving the Vols a 5-4 advantage.
The Tigers clawed their way back to a 6-5 lead in the bottom eighth, scoring two runs on five hits vs. Tennessee.
With two outs in the ninth, Brodie Leftridge (1-for-4) then singled but was left stranded as a liner to right field was snagged to end the game.
Sophomore Zach Warren was tagged for four runs on six hits in his 11th start of the season. Prior to a solo home run by MU's Howard in the first inning, Warren had not allowed a home run all season, spanning 71.0 innings and 10 previous starts for the Big Orange.
Andy Cox made his second relief appearance of the series, entering for Warren in the seventh. He threw 0.2 inning and allowed two runs on three hits before righty Hunter Martin was called upon to finish UT's bullpen effort.
Vol Baseball Quick Hits
- With Saturday's loss, Tennessee is now 5-6 in their all-time series against Missouri since 2013.
- Nick Senzel hit his second, two-homer game of the season with a 2-for-4 effort vs. Mizzou, last accomplished on March 29 vs. Middle Tennessee. His seven home runs on the season now tie Vincent Jackson for the team lead.
- Benito Santiago went 3-for-4 on Saturday vs. the Tigers, recording his fourth three-hit game of the season.
- Senior second baseman Derek Lance hit from the leadoff spot for the first time this season.
- Saturday's attendance at Taylor Stadium: 1,070
- On Deck for the Vols: The series finale between Tennessee (24-20, 6-14 SEC) and Mizzou (23-21, 6-14 SEC) begins Sunday, May 1 at 12:30 p.m. ET, with live game coverage available via SEC Network national broadcast.
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