MU baseball team wins regional opener

The Missouri baseball team's first game in NCAA regional play was not without its frustrations. Missouri defeated Ole Miss 7-0 on Friday at Mark Light Field in Coral Gables, Fla., but found themselves disappointed early in the game.

In the bottom of the first inning, the Tigers drew a walk, hit a single and had two batters hit by by pitches. But they scored just one run against Ole Miss ace Lance Lynn in the inning.

“In that inning we needed to put the ball in play and at least get a crooked number,” said MU coach Tim Jamieson in an in-game television interview before the start of the fifth inning.

It turned that one run was all Missouri pitcher Aaron Crow would need. The junior, who became the first Missouri baseball player since 1988 to be placed on the Louisville Slugger All-American first team on Thursday, gave up just three hits to the Rebels in nine innings.

It was the fourth time this season Crow pitched a nine-inning complete game this season. He improved to 13-0 on the season, extending the single-season school record for victories in a season.

Missouri held its 1-0 lead until the fifth when Aaron Senne’s two-RBI double and Jacob Priday’s RBI single gave Crow some breathing room.

Catcher Trevor Coleman completed Missouri’s scoring with a 3-run home run in the bottom of the seventh. Center fielder Ryan Lollis was 4-for-4 in the game and had a stolen base.

The win means Missouri will face No. 1 national seed Miami at 4 p.m. Saturday in a winner’s bracket game. Rick Zagone (2-3) and Ian Berger (4-5) are the most likely to start for the Tigers.