May 22, 2003
Box Score
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. -
Junior RF Kyle Johnson (Omaha, Neb.) hit a one-out RBI double down the right-field line in the 11th inning, and the Missouri defense used a Big 12 Tournament-record four double plays to post a 4-3 win over Kansas in Big 12 Tournament elimination game Thursday afternoon at SBC Bricktown Ballpark. The Tigers (35-19) advance to a 7 p.m. game on Friday against the loser of tonight's winner's bracket game between Baylor and Nebraska.
The Tigers took their final lead of the game in the 11th when junior SS Ian Kinsler (Tucson, Ariz.) reached on an error by KU third baseman Travis Metcalf. Kinsler moved to second on a balk by Ryan Knippschild (8-5), then scored on Johnson's double. Mizzou is now 3-0 all-time in extra innings at the Big 12 Tournament - they won both extended affairs in the 1999 tournament - and evened its extra-inning record at 1-1 this season.
Following a second straight nine-inning outing from No. 1 starter Justin James (Yukon, Okla.), junior righty Andy Shipman (Bellevue, Neb.) pitched two scoreless innings for his eighth straight win; Shipman (9-2) is now 8-0 as a reliever this season.
"We got a tremendous pitching performance from Justin James. He gave us a chance to win," Head Coach Tim Jamieson said. "He didn't give them much to hit. He just went out there and did his job. We played good defense and pitched well; adding hitting, usually when you get any two of the three, you'll win the game."
Missouri snapped its streak of 18 scoreless innings with its characteristic "small ball" in the top of the third, when freshman RF Tyler Williams (Delta, British Columbia) led off with a walk. He stole second, and two batters later was sacrificed over to third by freshman DH Adam Garrett (Sikeston, Mo.), who was making his first start since April 22. Senior CF Jayce Tingler (Smithville, Mo.), who took sole possession of Mizzou's career hits record on Wednesday, singled up the middle to score Williams and post his first RBI since May 3 at Oklahoma State (six games).
The Tigers used some trickery to turn a double play in the bottom half. With one out, Lance Hayes walked, and attempted to steal second. Matt Baty hit a fly ball to left field; as Hayes reached second, Kinsler and junior 2B Jeremy Hernandez (Aptos, Calif.) both headed for the bag to turn a phantom double play. Junior LF Ryan Rallo (Chesterfield, Mo.) then fired the flyout to Kinsler, who relayed to junior 1B Cody Ehlers (Stillwater, Okla.) for the inning-ender.
Williams saved a sure triple with a diving, back-to-the-wall catch of Kevin Wheeler's fly ball to right in the fourth.
Kansas, whose season likely ends at 35-28, got on board in the fifth when Matt Tribble and Travis Metcalf sandwiched singles around a Casey Spanish walk to load the bases with nobody out. Sean Flynn hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Tribble, and Hayes beat out a safety squeeze bunt to plate Spanish. James got out of the inning by getting an around-the-horn double play. In all, MU's season-high four twin killings gives them five for the tourney.
KU took a 3-1 lead in the sixth when Ritchie Price led off with a single to left and advanced to third on Ryan Baty's single to left-center while Williams threw out Baty at second. Price scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Wheeler.
Mizzou got a run back in the seventh when Rallo, freshman 3B Zane Taylor (Kirksville, Mo.), Flanders and Williams hit consecutive one-out singles. Yet with the bases still loaded, the Jayhawks got out of the inning when Hernandez hit into a 3-2 double play as Taylor was tagged out at home.
The Tigers tied the game at three in the eighth when Garrett doubled to right-center to lead off the inning, and was sacrificed over to third by Tingler. Kinsler then hit a bouncer up the middle through a drawn-in Jayhawk infield to bring Garrett home.
Mizzou's defense made the end of regulation interesting. After turning a double play in the ninth, Metcalf popped up to the pitcher's mound. Yet the ball fell between all five infielders for a base hit. The Tigers did extend the game, however, when James got Flynn to line out to short. Then in the 10th, with Shipman on in relief of James, the Tigers got a fourth double play after Matt Baty led off with a walk, was sacrificed to second, and Ritchie Price was intentionally walked.
