Missouri baseball grabbed the lead in the first inning and held on for the rest of the game in its 6-5 victory over Illinois in the annual Braggin’ Rights rivalry game held Tuesday in Sauget, Illinois.
Sixth-year senior pitcher Zach Franklin closed out the game in the bottom of the ninth. The right-hander recorded a strikeout, groundout before a fielder’s choice secured the win for the Tigers.
MU reliever Rorik Maltrud also was able to keep the lead for Missouri when he entered the game in the sixth inning. The fifth-year senior struck out two batters and allowed just two hits and a run in three innings of work.
Missouri (18-6, 3-3 Southeastern Conference) had two big runs down the stretch that helped lead it to victory. Juju Stevens hit an RBI single to score Hank Zeisler in the fifth inning, and Luke Mann scored off a wild pitch by John Lundgren to extend the Tigers’ lead to 6-3.
Illinois (11-10) did not go away as it scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Ryan Moerman hit a sacrifice fly, and Illini infielder Cal Hejza hit an RBI single to center field to score Camden Janik, making it 6-5.
The Tigers had started off strong, scoring three runs in the first inning. Zeisler hit an RBI single to score Mann for the first run of the game. Stevens followed with a two-run RBI double driving Zeisler and Trevor Austin home.
Stevens and Mann were the hitting leaders for Missouri as they each had two hits for the Tigers.
Freshman Logan Lunceford started on the mound for Missouri. The right-hander recorded nine strikeouts and allowed four hits and four runs in five innings of work.
Missouri will look to build off its victory as it faces Lindenwood for the second time this season at 3 p.m. Wednesday in St. Charles. The Tigers blew out the Lions 17-2 when the two programs met earlier this season in February.