Tigers rout Billikens in offensive show

If the Missouri baseball team was hoping to see stiff competition in preparation for Big 12 Conference play on March 23, Wednesday night’s game against Saint Louis didn’t offer it.

If the Tigers (14-5) were hoping to continue building confidence, their easy 19-1 victory offered plenty.

Eleven Missouri batters recorded at least one run in the game, and 13 of the 15 Tigers who entered the lineup scored at least one run. After scoring 10 quick runs in the first two innings of the game, MU did not let up, scoring in all but one of its eight offensive innings.

The offensive onslaught was too much for Saint Louis’ pitching staff. The Billikens took out starter Eric Brewer after four batters, and things did not improve much from there. Saint Louis went through six pitchers who gave up a combined 20 hits as Missouri all but emptied its bench only to continue finding hits.

Coach Tim Jamieson said that lopsided victories like this can help motivate the team, especially players who don’t play often.

“(Wins like this are) good, because you’ve got some guys who can come up off the bench, and now they’re excited,” he said. “They want the starters to do well, so they’ll have some opportunities to come in.”

AVOIDING BOREDOM: Senior Gary Arndt, who started all but two games at shortstop last season for Missouri, made his first start after sitting out five games with tendonitis in his throwing shoulder. Junior Lee Fischer filled in well for Arndt while he rested his shoulder, but the four-year starter was glad to get back on the field and off the bench.

“Recovering was, it was getting kind of... I can’t say boring, but it was getting old,” he said with a laugh after the game. “I’d much rather play, I’ll put it that way.”

PRIDAY BREAKS SLUMP: Junior Jacob Priday, who entered Wednesday with a .182 batting average, well below his career .294 mark, went 2-for-4 Wednesday, scored three runs and notched two RBIs. Jamieson said that he thinks Priday’s struggles in the first third of the season have been mental, and not related to the shoulder surgery he underwent during the offseason.

FINDING CONSISTENCY: Only one-third of the way through the season, Jamieson said after Wednesday’s game that the team has showed him the consistency that was lacking in previous squads.

“The difference between this team and the teams we’ve had in the past is they’ve come ready to play darn near every game,” he said. “Sometimes mid-week we’ve taken days off in the past, but these guys haven’t.”