Mizzou Baseball sophomore righty Tanner Houck (Collinsville, Ill.) was named one of Louisville Slugger’s National Players of the Week, as announced by Collegiate Baseball on Monday (March 28). The honor comes after a flat out dominant start against No. 4 Vanderbilt last Saturday. He tossed 9.0 shutout innings, allowing just two hits with a career-high 14 strikeouts and only two walks against a Commodore team that leads the SEC in runs scored. He earned a no-decision after Mizzou lost, 2-0, after 11 innings.
Houck, a preseason All-SEC Second Team selection, tossed an absolute gem in a no-decision that earned a 95 in game score. To put that mark into perspective there were only nine games in Major League Baseball with higher than a 95 last season (three by former Mizzou pitcher Max Scherzer). Houck’s 95 game score was the best in the nation last weekend and the next-best mark in the SEC was 72 by Vanderbilt’s Kyle Wright (who squared off against Houck Saturday). Houck’s career-high 14 strikeouts on Saturday were the most by any SEC pitcher this season and he allowed just two hits (one was an infield hit – his no-hitter was broken up in the sixth inning).
Houck was also named SEC Pitcher of the Week.
Mizzou Baseball will resume its series against in-state rival St. Louis this Tuesday (March 29) at Kauffman Stadium. Mizzou is returning to Kauffman Stadium for the first time since 2014 after a one-year hiatus. In all, Mizzou is 1-4 in games played at the home of the World Series Champion Kansas City Royals.
Mizzou and St. Louis have played 93 games over the years with Mizzou holding 75-18 advantage in the all-time series. The two clubs have not met since 2009, a 19-6 win at Busch Stadium.
First pitch is set for 6:30.
