Rob Zastryzny delivers a pitch Tuesday night against the Bulldogs, during the SEC Tournament. (Mizzou Athletics)
The Missouri Tigers baseball season came to an end on the opening day of the SEC Tournament as the Tigers were eliminated by fifth seeded Mississippi State, 2-1, in 17 innings, Tuesday night in Hoover, AL.
Junior ace Rob Zastryzny went 9.0 innings, allowing just seven hits and one earned run while striking out seven along with two walks. He threw 124 pitches. Keaton Steele went 7.0 innings, allowing no earned runs while scattering eight hits and striking out five.
Mizzou grabbed a 1-0 lead in the third when Brannon Champagne lined a single and moved to second on a wild pitch. On a second pitch in the dirt, Champagne darted for third and then scored on a wild throw by the catcher that went into left field.
Zastryzny’s only blemish was a two out single in the fifth that tied the game at 1-1. It stayed that way until the 17th, when the Bulldogs scored again on a two out single after a leadoff walk given up by Jake Walsh, who entered in the final inning.
The loss ends Mizzou’s season as it drops to 18-32 on the year, its inaugural season in the Southeastern Conference. The game played on Tuesday tied the longest in SEC history and was the longest game in Mizzou history. The game lasted four hours and 39 minutes, and despite going 17 innings, Mizzou used just three pitchers. Junior lefty Jake Walsh (Plano, Texas) earned the loss while the win went to Will Cox, who went 3.0 innings, allowing just one hit and striking out two.
Watch the highlights courtesy of SEC Video