COLUMBIA, Mo. – A feverish Missouri rally saw the Tigers score nine runs during the final three innings on Friday to hand the No. 6 Texas A&M baseball team a 10-9 defeat at Taylor Stadium.
The loss drops the Aggies to 29-13 on the year with a 14-5 record in Big 12 games, while Missouri improved to 18-24 overall and 5-10 in league action.
Junior designated hitter Matt Juengel and sophomore outfielder Tyler Naquin were the offensive standouts for the Aggies as they each collected a game-high three hits. Juengel went 3-for-5 at the plate and connected on his team-leading fourth home run of the year while driving in a career-best five runs.
The Aggies wasted no time going to work against Missouri starter Eric Anderson as Naquin, who went 3-for-4 with four RBI Friday, led off the contest with a single to center field. The hit extended his career-best hitting streak to 18 games, the most by any Big 12 player this season. He was quickly joined on base by center fielder Krey Bratsen who reached on an infield single to set the plate for Juengel, who scored both runners with a double to left center.
After the Tigers scratched across a run in the bottom of the first, the Aggies regained their two-run advantage during their turn at bat in the second inning by scoring on a fielder’s choice from Naquin.
Juengel made it 4-1 Texas A&M in the top of the third when he connected on a solo homer off Anderson that cleared the wall in left field. The junior from Houston, made another impact on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh and helped Texas A&M extended its lead to 6-1 with a two-run single.
The game took a wild and drastically different turn in the home half of the seventh as the usually steady Aggie pitching staff could not close out the inning. After loading the bases with no outs, Missouri looked to be on the verge of getting nothing out of the rally following back-to-back strikeouts by Texas A&M starter John Stilson. However, Tiger designated hitter Jonah Schmidt singled off Stilson to drive in two runners and knock the A&M right-hander out of the contest.
Senior Nick Fleece entered the game in relief of Stilson and had trouble cooling the Tigers’ hot bats as he allowed a pair of hits while walking a batter. When the dust settled on the inning, Missouri had scored seven runs on six hits to open an 8-6 advantage.
Stilson finished the night with a no-decision after allowing six earned runs with seven strikeouts and two walks in 6.2 innings of work.
Texas A&M battled back in the top of the eighth, getting a clutch three-run double by Naquin to retake the lead at 9-8.
After Aggie reliever Kyle Martin held the Tigers scoreless in the bottom of the eighth and the Aggies could not manufacture any insurance runs in the top of the ninth, senior Joaquin Hinojosa came in to close the game for Texas A&M.
Hinojosa (1-1) never found his groove on the mound; however, hitting three batters and walking two more in the frame as the Tigers completed the come-from-behind victory with a two-out bases-loaded walk.
Missouri reliever Phil McCormick (5-2) earned the win on the mound despite allowing three runs in his two innings of work.
The series resumes tomorrow with a 2 p.m. contest at Taylor Stadium. The Aggies will send sophomore right-hander Michael Wacha (5-2, 1.64 ERA) to the mound to face Missouri righty Matt Stites (2-3, 3.64 ERA).