Sophomore first baseman/designated hitter Jackson Lovich leads Mizzou with four home runs this season. (Photo: Cedric Williams)

NCAA College Baseball – Gameday Info
Game No. 12 – Lindenwood (5-6) at Missouri (5-6)
Date/Time – March 5, 2024 – 3 pm
Location – Taylor Stadium — Columbia, MO
Broadcast — SEC Network+
Live Stats – Mizzou StatBroadcast

Terrance Williams
Staff Writer

COLUMBIA, MO — A pair of teams that are still trying to find their stride in the early part of the NCAA baseball season will meet on Tuesday, when Lindenwood travels west to take on Missouri.

The game will be the first of four straight road games for the Lions, while Mizzou is in the middle of a nine-game homestand.

First pitch at Taylor Stadium is scheduled for 3 p.m.

The Tigers (5-6) and Lions (5-6) will renew their series for the second consecutive season, with Mizzou sweeping the home-and-home series last spring. The Tigers won 17-2 in Columbia last February, then defeated the Lions 7-5 at the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles last March 29. Mizzou holds a 4-0 all-time edge in its series and is 3-0 against Lindenwood at Taylor Stadium.

Missouri began its home schedule last week and lost three of the four games it played against Southeast Missouri State and Northern Kentucky. The one game the Tigers won was a record-breaking 28-10, seven-inning win over UNK.

Lindenwood is coming off a four-game sweep over Nebraska-Omaha and Bradley. The Lions hadn’t hit the ball in their first seven games, but put up a total of 33 hits and 26 runs in its four straight wins.

PITCHING PROBABLES
RHP Michael Walsh (0-1) Lindenwood vs. LHP Daniel Wissler (1-1) Mizzou

SCOUTING MISSOURI

• Missouri posted a 30-24 regular-season finish last spring, including a 10-20 SEC mark.
• The Tigers return three regular starters from last season, led by senior INF/OF Trevor Austin, who batted .311 with eight homers and 10 steals to help bolster the MU offense.
• Senior INF Matt Garcia turned in a solid debut season with the Tigers, providing clutch hitting and lock-down defense on the MU infield.
• Additionally, junior INF Justin Colon returns for Mizzou and earning significant playing time at shortstop over each of his first two seasons in Columbia.
• MU should also receive a lift from sophomore INF Jackson Lovich and junior OF Juju Stevens, who each made key contributions in limited duty in 2023.
• Several newcomers could also make early contributions, including junior INF Danny Corona, who helped Wake Forest to a 2023 College World Series berth, C Jedier Hernandez, a standout behind the plate for Seton Hall the last two seasons, and sophomore OF Jeric Curtis, a Texas Tech transfer who brings significant speed to the Tiger outfield and batting order.
• On the mound, sophomore RHP Logan Lunceford is back to help anchor Mizzou’s weekend rotation after posting 68 strikeouts to lead all SEC freshman hurlers last spring.
• Junior LHP Javyn Pimental also contributed mightily to the Tigers’ mound efforts in 2023, making eight starts for the Tigers.
• Mizzou should also benefit from the potential return of a pair of veterans who missed significant time last spring; left-hander Ian Lohse and RHP Carter Rustad missed significant portions of 2023 due to injury following promising starts to the campaign.
• New arms like RHP Xavier Lovett and RHP Bryce Mayer could compete for starting rotation spots, while RHP Jacob Peaden may give the back end of the Tigers’ bullpen a strong presence.

SCOUTING LINDENWOOD

• Lindenwood is off to a 5-6 start under first-year head coach PJ Finigan.
• Coming off a 13-42 season in their inaugural Division I campaign last spring, the Lions enter Tuesday’s game riding a four-game win streak after sweeping a pair of two-game sets from Omaha and Bradley at home over the weekend.
• Colin Shea leads LU at the plate, bringing a .355 batting mark and three steals into the week.
• Chase Honeycutt has hit .333 through the first 11 games of the season.
• On the mound, RHP Easton Rakers was named to the NCBWA’s Stopper of the Year preseason watch list and has already logged a pair of victories in relief.

Up Next: Mizzou will play a four-game set at home against Purdue-Fort Wayne this weekend, while Lindenwood will play a three-game set against Murray State on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.