University of Missouri
South Carolina
Mizzou Opens Second Half of SEC Play at No. 12 South Carolina
4/21/2016 9:18:00 AM | Baseball
| OPPONENT | LOCATION | DAY // TIME | LIVE STATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| #12 South Carolina | Founders Park | Friday, April 22 // 6 p.m. | Stats |
| #12 South Carolina | Founders Park | Saturday, April 23 // 3 p.m. | Stats |
| #12 South Carolina | Founders Park | Sunday, April 24 // 12:30 p.m. | Stats |
- Mizzou Baseball resumes SEC play and continues a stretch in which it plays eight consecutive games against ranked teams this weekend as it heads to No. 12 South Carolina for a three-game series. All three games will air live on SEC Network+ with Derek Scott and Trey Dyson on the call. The games can be heard on the radio in the Mid-Missouri area on KTGR 103.1 FM/1580 AM with Tex Little and Trevor Coleman on the call. Below are the pitching matchups.
- Game One: Mizzou RHP Reggie McClain (3-2, 3.92 ERA) vs. SC RHP Clarke Schmidt (8-1. 1.66 ERA)
- Game Two: Mizzou RHP Tanner Houck (4-3, 3.22 ERA) vs. SC RHP Braden Webb (7-2, 3.46 ERA)
- Game Three: Mizzou LHP Michael Plassmeyer (3-3, 4.91 ERA) vs. SC RHP Adam Hill (5-0, 2.95 ERA)
- Mizzou and South Carolina have met 10 times over the years with all 10 meetings coming since Mizzou joined the SEC for the 2013 season. Mizzou took three of four meetings with the Gamecocks last season to cut into the all-time series in which South Carolina holds a 6-4 advantage. Mizzou took two of three meetings at Taylor Stadium a year ago, including a 4-3 walk-off win in the 10th inning in the Saturday game. Then freshman Trey Harris delivered the walk-off hit. Mizzou then defeated SC, 5-1, in game one of the SEC Tournament in Hoover, Ala., last season behind a tremendous start from RHP Reggie McClain. Mizzou was swept in its last visit to Founders Park in 2014. In 2013, Mizzou lost two of three meetings with South Carolina at home with the lone win coming in the Sunday game that weekend, a 4-0 decision. Keaton Steele was tremendous in that game, tossing 6.0 shutout relief innings, scattering just three hits and a walk while striking out seven to earn the win, Mizzou's first-ever SEC win.
- Senior RHP Reggie McClain has been flat out dominant in his career against South Carolina. He made two starts last season - one in the regular season and another in the SEC Tournament - and went 2-0 with a 1.17 ERA in 15.1 innings, scattering just 11 hits. He allowed just two earned runs and three total runs over the two starts while striking out seven and walking none. He will get the ball Friday night against Clarke Schmidt.
- Sophomore OF Trey Harris was a thorn in the side of South Carolina a year ago. Aside from his walk-off hit in the Saturday game a year ago, he put up tremendous numbers. In fact, he went 7-for-15 with a pair of doubles and five RBI while scoring a run and stealing a base against the Gamecocks a season ago. Senior Zach Lavy has also been good in his career vs. South Carolina, going 4-for-13 with a double, six RBI and two walks.
Lavy Having Breakout Senior Season
When looking at candidates for postseason All-SEC honors at first base, one must look no further than Mizzou as senior Zach Lavy is having arguably the best offensive season at Mizzou since 2010. Heading into the weekend, Lavy is hitting .338 while slugging .600 with an OBP of .400. He leads the SEC in extra-base hits (25), doubles (15) and triples (seven) while leading the nation with his seven three-baggers. He is also third in the SEC in total bases (87). His 15 doubles match the most by a Tiger since 2011 and his seven triples are the most since 1994. His 25 extra-base hits are the most since Blake Brown had 27 in 61 games in 2012. He is averaging 0.66 extra-base hits per game, the best average by a Mizzou player since Big 12 Player of the Year Aaron Senne had 0.69 in 2010. Lavy leads Mizzou with 15 multi-hit games and nine multiple RBI games.
Should Lavy keep producing at his current pace, below is a breakdown of where his projected final numbers would rank. Keep in mind, Lavy is doing this all with the new bats, while most of the numbers mentioned below were with the old bats.
- 22 doubles - 4th in school history
- 10 triples - 1st in school history
- 37 extra-base hits - Most since Big 12 Player of the Year Aaron Senne had 38 in 2010
- 50 RBI - Most since current Major Leaguer Brett Nicholas had 64 in 2010
- 128 total bases - Most since Senne's 154 in 2010
Of course there are other tremendous first basemen in the SEC, so let's see how Lavy stacks up against them:
- Mizzou's Zach Lavy: .338 // .400 // .600 // 15 2B // 7 3B // 3 HR // 34 RBI // 31 R
- Florida's Peter Alonso: .348 // .459 // .600 // 10 2B // 0 3B // 8 HR // 39 RBI // 32 R
- Texas A&M's Hunter Melton: .383 // .449 // .674 // 10 2B // 2 3B // 9 HR // 47 RBI // 36 R
- Kentucky's Evan White: .349 // .395 // .487 // 11 2B // 2 3B // 2 HR // 28 RBI // 29 R
- South Carolina's Alex Destino: .349 // .390 // .508 // 8 2B // 0 3B // 4 HR // 30 RBI // 22 R
Ring Reaches History
Mizzou junior CF Jake Ring has reached rarefied air this season, stealing 21 bases through 38 games. His 21 steals rank tied for the fourth-most in a single season at Mizzou and he is one steal away from tying current student coach and first base coach Brett Peel for third all-time at 22. Should he reach 22, it would mark the most stolen bases in a single season at Mizzou since Torre Tyson stole a school-record 37 in 1998. Ring is on pace to steal 31 bases, which would be the second-most in school history, passing Jim English's 29, set in 1979. Looking further, Ring's 32 stolen bases in his career tie him for eighth in school history with Mizzou legend and MLB standout Phil Bradley, who had 32 from 1979-81.
Bond Breaks Out
Sophomore catcher Brett Bond, after hitting better than .300 for almost his entire freshman season, has struggled by his standards this season. But he seemed to find his stroke last week, hitting .429 with a pair of homers and three RBI in four games. Both his homers came against LSU in the weekend series as he now leads the team with six homers on the season.
Up Next
Mizzou will host nationally-ranked Missouri State on Tuesday before hosting a three-game SEC series against Tennessee next weekend. Tex Little and Trevor Coleman will have the call on KTGR. For all the latest on Mizzou Baseball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MizzouBaseball.
