Mizzou Baseball’s streak continues, swept by Florida

The sweep included a walk-off loss in the final inning of the final game

Mizzou Baseball entered Gainesville with high hopes, facing a Florida team that had experienced similar struggles in SEC play and provided a realistic chance to break a program-record losing streak to begin conference play.

But the Tigers exited another SEC series winless after being swept by the Gators, including allowing a walk-off hit in their final matchup.

THURSDAY

The series’ opening matchup was its only blowout as Florida scored six runs in the opening inning and cruised to an 11-2 win.

True freshman starter Brady Kehlenbrink began his outing by allowing a walk and two singles, scoring Bobby Boser and putting the Gators ahead 1-0.

Luke Heyman really broke the game open with a three-run home run to left field the next at-bat, then Blake Cyr immediately followed with a solo shot to left for back-to-back longballs.

After Kehlenbrink recorded the first out of the inning with a strikeout, he allowed two more hits and threw a wild pitch, bringing home Hayden Yost to make it 6-0.

Chris Patterson got the Mizzou offense up and running in the top of the third with a leadoff double to left, scoring the next at-bat on Payton Basler’s double down the right field line.

Keegan Knutson’s walk and Gehrig Goldbeck’s single to right field loaded the bases with no outs. But the Tigers were only able to score one more run, when Cayden Nicoletto walked to bring in Basler and make it 6-2.

Pierre Seals and Jackson Lovich both struck out, stranding the bases loaded and squandering an opportunity to bring the game back to even.

The team wouldn’t score again.

Florida, on the other hand, scored three more after Brock Lucas replaced Kehlenbrink in the fourth.

Lucas loaded the bases with a double and two walks, then Heyman singled through the left side to score Boser. Patterson fielded a groundball at third and threw home to record a force out, getting Lucas one out away from escaping the jam, but Landon Stripling pinch-hit and singled through the right side to score two more runners and make it 9-2.

The Gators added their final two runs in the bottom of the seventh on Hunter Shelton’s double to right, plating Boser and Justin Nadeau.

Mizzou’s bats remained quiet outside of the top of the seventh inning, when the team stranded the bases loaded without scoring a run. Christian Rodriguez held the Tigers hitless in the ninth, clinching a nine run victory for Florida.

SATURDAY

After a rainout Friday, the teams played two seven inning games Saturday. Mizzou lost both games, starting with a 5-0 shutout for the Gators in the day’s first game.

The Tigers’ best scoring chance came in the top of the second inning after singles by Jackson Lovich and Mateo Serna. The runners advanced a base on a wild pitch, putting them both in scoring position with one out.

But back-to-back outs in the infield put the inning to rest, another missed opportunity for a usually potent offense.

Florida broke the deadlock in the bottom of the third on Shelton’s single to right field, which scored Ashton Wilson three at-bats after he was hit-by-pitch to lead off.

Cyr scored the next inning in a similar fashion, reaching base after being hit by a pitch. He didn’t wait long, though, scoring the next at-bat on a Brody Donay triple to right field and making it 2-0.

The Gators added three insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Two walks and a fielder’s choice put runners on first and second for Nadeau, who doubled to right-center field and brought home Yost. He scored the next at-bat alongside Wilson when Boser singled to left field, putting Florida ahead by five.

Mizzou went down swinging with two strikeouts in the bottom of the seventh as Florida clinched the 5-0 victory.

Tony Neubeck, who returned earlier this month after multiple years away from the game due to injury, put together an impressive start in the second game of the day to give the Tigers some momentum.

He threw 2.1 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and no earned runs with a walk and two strikeouts.

Pierre Seals took advantage of that clean start, leading off the second inning with a solo home run to right-center field and giving Kerrick Jackson’s squad the 1-0 lead.

Xavier Lovett took over for Neubeck, getting two quicks outs in the third but allowing a two-run homer to left by Cyr in the bottom of the fourth during his first full inning of work.

Lovett held back the hosts in the bottom fifth, stranding two runners. Cayden Nicoletto rewarded his efforts the next half, tying the game back up with a leadoff home run to right field.

The Tigers couldn’t muster any hits in the top of the seventh, putting Florida in a situation to walk it off the in the bottom half.

Wilson was hit by a pitch to begin the frame, then advanced to third the next at-bat on a double to right-center by Nadeau. A groundout and intentional walk loaded the bases for Brendan Lawson, who wrapped up the sweep for the Gators with a liner down the right field line to win it 3-2.

TAKEAWAYS

The biggest positive from the weekend was Tony Neubeck’s 2.1 scoreless innings against the Gators on Saturday.

Neubeck needed an adjustment period the last week or two while getting back into rhythm on the mound, which was unsurprising given his last appearances had been in 2023. This appearance provided an indicator that he can return to the level of impact he had two seasons ago for the Tigers, something this team desperately needs.

Mizzou’s pitching has made so many of the team’s SEC games so far unwinnable, but the staff put both games on Saturday within reach.

The offense was unable to answer the call, though, scoring four combined runs across the series’ three contests. This team’s calling card has been its strong ability to score runs (outside of a few series against top-10 staffs in Texas and Arkansas), but that ability never showed during a series where even an average performance from the bats would have secured at least one win.

OVERALL OUTLOOK

This weekend was a massive lost opportunity for the Tigers as the best chance they had of getting a win in conference play. There are still two series remaining against unranked opponents, and the team’s pitching performance was a step in the right direction.

But it’s not yet clear if that pitching will carry over from Saturday and show itself with any consistency moving forward, and Mizzou now faces three consecutive series against top-20 teams.

The three losses this weekend move the Tigers to 0-15 in the SEC, extending what was already the program record for most losses to begin conference play. A winless conference season remains highly unlikely; it hasn’t happened in the SEC since 1962.

But each close loss is a key opportunity lost, bringing the team closer to that mark.

UP NEXT

Mizzou has an intra-state mid-week matchup on hand Tuesday as the team travels to face Missouri State. First pitch is at 6:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.