Tigers Rally for 9-6 Win over No. 10 Nebraska

Columbia, Mo. - Cody Ehlers' two-run bases-loaded double broke a 6-6 tie, as Missouri scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth to top No. 10 Nebraska, 9-6, in front of 625 fans at Taylor Stadium Friday evening.

The Tigers, 15-17 overall and 4-9 in the Big 12, trailed 6-4 before rallying for five runs off four Husker relievers to post their fifth last at-bat win of the season. It was the seventh time that NU, which fell to 22-12 and 9-7 in the league, had lost on an opponent's final at bat this season.

Trailing 6-4 with two runners on, Jayce Tingler cut the NU lead to 6-5 with an RBI double to right off Jeremy Becker. Bo Davis then drew an intentional walk to load the bases before Becker got Jody Roughton to pop up for the second out of the inning. Steve Hale came in, but MU tied the score on a Lee Laskowski's bases loaded walk. Ehlers, who went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, gave Missouri the lead for good with a two-out double into the gap in left center off Waylon Byers, scoring Davis and Tingler to give the Tigers an 8-6 lead. MU added an unearned run on an error by Justin Seely, allowing Laskowski, who went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs, to score MU's ninth run.

Becker (0-1) took the loss, allowing two runs on one hit in a third of an inning. Aaron Paterson (1-0) earned the win in relief for Missouri, allowing one hit in two innings of relief, while Travis Wendte pitched a scoreless ninth for his fifth save.

Trailing 1-0, the Huskers came back with four runs off Missouri starter Garrett Broshuis in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Broshuis had retired the first eight Huskers in order before consecutive walks to Brandon Eymann and Jeff Leise put runners on first and second. Daniel Bruce, who had two of the Huskers' six hits, then delivered a two-run double to right, clearing the bases before Jed Morris gave the visitors a three-run cushion with his eighth homer of the season, a towering blast over the fence in right center.

Mick Weiss cut the Nebraska lead to 4-2, leading off the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer to right, but Husker starter Jamie Rodrigue got out of a two-on, two-out jam, as he struck out Davis looking.

Rodrigue allowed three runs on seven hits as he lasted just four innings, but was not involved in the decision, as the Tigers knotted the score at 4-all in the fifth. Jody Roughton led off the inning with a double before Laskowski's RBI single off Jason Burch trimmed the Husker advantage to 4-3. Laskowski plated the Tigers' fourth run later in the frame, scoring on an errant pickoff attempt.

After the fifth, Burch settled down, throwing 3.1 innings of relief and holding the Tigers off the board until the eighth.

The Huskers regained the lead in the sixth, scoring two times off Broshuis on RBI singles from Justin Seely and Will Bolt. Matt Hopper opened the inning with a single, moved to second on a passed ball and moving to third on Jeff Blevins' fly ball before scoring on Seely's infield single. Bolt gave the Huskers a 6-4 lead with a two-out single to right.

Broshius allowed six runs of five hits in six innings before Paterson and Wendte combined to hold NU to one hit over the final three frames.

The Huskers and Tigers continue the series Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m., as NU left-hander Aaron Marsden (2-1, 1.35 ERA) will take on Missouri right-hander Justin James (1-1, 7.17 ERA)