Missouri Wins Series Opener 13-3

Friday, May 12

Columbia, Mo.

7:00 p.m

University of Georgia

28-22, 10-15

Missouri

28-20, 8-17

Georgia

Missouri

May 12, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score UGABoxG50.pdf

COLUMBIA, MO.-----Missouri hit five home runs and Ross Lovich hit for the cycle as the Tigers beat Georgia 13-3 in seven innings Friday in front of a crowd of 1,383 at Taylor Stadium.

The Tigers (28-20, 8-17 SEC) took a 2-0 lead in the first on a two-run home run by Luke Mann, his team-leading 18^th of the season. Lovich was on after a leadoff double. In the second, Georgia turned to junior left-hander Luke Wagner in relief of freshman Kolten Smith. Missouri responded by sending nine batters to the plate and extending their lead to 6-0 on five hits including home runs by Mann and Hank Zeisler.

In the fourth, graduate Connor Tate smashed his 14^th home run to get the Bulldogs on the scoreboard. It extended his hitting streak to 12 games and was the 41^st home run of his career. The Tigers answered with a pair of runs on two hits in their half of the fourth to take an 8-1 lead. Georgia cut the deficit to 8-3 with two runs on four hits in the sixth. Redshirt freshman Charlie Condon led off with a double and scored on a base hit by Tate. With one out, designated hitter Cole Wagner lined an RBI-single off left-hander Daniel Wissler. The Tigers halted the rally by turning their third double play of the night. Then in the bottom of the sixth, Ty Wilmsmeyer hit a two-out, three-run home run to put the Tigers up 11-3. Missouri added two runs in the seventh for the final.

"A loss is a loss, and it stinks," said Georgia's Ike Cousins head baseball coach Scott Stricklin. "We didn't pitch well enough, and we didn't have enough good at bats. The double plays were rally killers. We had several opportunities for a big inning, and we'd hit into a double play."

Missouri right-hander Chandler Murphy started and went five innings for the victory to even his record at 4-4. He allowed two runs on four hits with three walks and fourth strikeouts. Smith dropped to 2-3, surrendering two runs on two hits in one inning. Georgia falls to 28-22 overall, 10-15 in the SEC.

Tate finished 2-for-3 with two RBI to give him an SEC-leading 78 hits while Condon (2-for-3) is right behind him with 77. Condon has hit safely in eight straight games.

The series continues Saturday with first pitch scheduled for 3:02 p.m. ET. The game will be available on SEC Network+ and the Georgia Bulldog Sports Network.