Baseball Falls 5-3 At Missouri
May 13, 2017
COLUMBIA, MO. ââ’¬” Tanner Houck struck out 10 batters and hurled a complete game as Missouri defeated 30th ranked South Carolina 5-3 on Saturday afternoon at Taylor Stadium. Jacob Olson and Carlos Cortes each homered for the Gamecocks in the loss. Missouri is now 30-21 and 10-16 in the SEC with the Gamecocks now 30-20 and 12-14 in league play.
Houck walked just one and allowed three runs on five hits to earn the win and improve to 4-7 for the season. South Carolina right-hander Adam Hill suffered the loss and is now 3-5 for the season. He allowed four runs on five hits in six innings with two walks and seven strikeouts.
Missouri manufactured a run in the bottom of the first to take a 1-0 lead. Johnny Balsamo led off with an infield single, stole second base and scored on Robbie Glendinning’s one-out RBI single up the middle.
The Gamecocks came right back and tied it at 1-1 in the second inning as Jacob Olson belted a solo homer to left-center, his sixth home run of the season.
Jonah Bride would give the Gamecocks a 2-1 lead with a RBI double in the top of the third inning. With one out and TJ Hopkins on first base, Bride knocked a double down the left field line that scored Hopkins to give Carolina a one-run advantage. Carlos Cortes increased Carolina’s lead to 3-1 in the top of the fifth inning with a two-out solo homer to right-center, his eighth home run of the season.
Missouri answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3. Matt Berler drew a leadoff walk and scored on Chris Cornelius’ RBI double to center field. With two outs and Cornelius on third base, Glendinning knocked in his second run of the game with a two-out RBI single up the middle on a 3-2 pitch from Hill.
The Tigers took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning on a solo homer to right field from Kameron Misner, his fifth home run of the season. Missouri answered with an insurance run in the seventh inning as Cornelius reached base on a sun ball to right field and scored on Brett Bond’s two-out RBI single to left field.
GAME CHANGER
Misner’s solo homer in the bottom of the sixth inning gave Missouri a lead they would not relinquish.
KEY STAT
Carolina did not have a runner reach second base after the fifth inning.
NOTABLES
The fifth inning continues to be South Carolina’s top inning for runs scored as Carolina has scored 60 runs this year in the fifth inning.
South Carolina is 16-16 on the year in games decided by three runs or less. 18 of South Carolina’s 26 SEC games have been decided by three runs or less with the Gamecocks now 6-12 in those contests this season.
Carlos Cortes has hit seven of his eight homers this season in SEC play.
Carlos Cortes was 2-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI to lead the Gamecocks at the plate. Missouri had three batters with multi-hit games with Glendinning 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, Misner 2-for-4 with a RBI and a run scored and Cornelius 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a RBI.
QUOTABLE FROM HEAD COACH Chad Holbrook
“Tanner (Houck) was very impressive. We were up 3-1 in the fifth and felt okay, but you have to give Missouri credit, they responded with a two-run inning to tie it and pushed a couple more across. Tanner was too good to come back on. Through four and a half innings we had it about right where we wanted to but Missouri fought back and you have to give them credit. Houck is awfully good and he was on his game today. When he settles in like that he can beat anybody in the country anywhere.”
UP NEXT
South Carolina and Missouri will face off in the rubber game on Sunday afternoon with first pitch at 2 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast live on SEC Network Plus and can be heard on the Gamecock IMG Network including flagship station, 107.5 FM, “The Game.”
