Tiger baseball keeps hot streak going with 11-1 win vs. Arkansas State

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri baseball team continued its home hot streak Tuesday with an 11-1 win against Arkansas State to get to 10-0 this season at Taylor Stadium.

The Tigers (16-5) scored in the first inning for the 10th time in the past 12 games and drove out the Red Wolves' starter after an inning. Trey Harris was hit by a pitch to lead off the game and stole second, and Kameron Misner scorched a single inside down the right field line to score Harris for the 29th time this season, tied for third in the nation.

Harris finished 1-for-1 with a walk, an RBI single and a sacrifice fly, Misner hit 2-for-2 with two walks (he now has an NCAA-high 27) and two RBI. Alex Samples, in his fifth start, hit 3-for-3 with two runs scored and a career-high five RBI, and Connor Brumfield, hitting seventh after a rough weekend in Baton Rouge, also went 3-for-3 and scored three runs.

"It's been the same approach, especially when you get guys on and you have those opportunities to get them in," Samples said. "I was sticking to that approach of just getting those guys in, not trying to do too much. Especially with the wind blowing in, you're not going to hit anything out of here, so driving through the baseball and getting those guys in."

Missouri used bunts and singles at the start to great effect against the Red Wolves. A bunt single and a sacrifice bunt in the second inning, plus a single and a fielder's choice, opened the gap to 4-0. Nine of the Tigers' 13 hits were singles, and the team scored two or more runs in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings to build an 11-0 lead.

"Very pleased with the way we played," head coach Steve Bieser said. "I liked the way that we were able to execute some small ball early and get things going, get a few runs there and then just watch the offense take over the second half of the game. Tyler LaPlante is a big part of that, of being able to go out and throw strikes, keeps the game moving and keeps everybody on their toes."

LaPlante finished his five innings in 59 pitches with four strikeouts, a walk, no earned runs and three hits allowed. LaPlante is now 3-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 25 innings. Jordan Gubelman threw a scoreless sixth with two strikeouts, Drake Greenwood gave up an RBI groundout after a leadoff triple in the seventh, and Cameron Pferrer and Ryan Rickett both struck out two in the eighth and ninth, respectively.

Missouri's hitters drew seven walks - to hold onto the conference lead of 134 this season - against three strikeouts, while Tiger pitchers sat down 10 batters and issued just one walk.

Bieser said he expects to throw more arms again today against Arkansas State in anticipation of the team's home Southeastern Conference opener against Mississippi State. Today's game starts at 4 p.m.

The Bulldogs use two left-handed starters in their weekend rotation, which is why Samples, a strong defensive infielder and right-handed batter, played in all three games at LSU and started in Sunday's finale and Tuesday's game.