April 22, 2008
Box Score
O'FALLON, Mo. - -
No. 4 Mizzou defeated Eastern Illinois, 8-6, on Tuesday night in the first of two games at T.R. Hughes Ballpark for the Tigers in O'Fallon, Mo. this week.
Junior Rick Zaonge turned in his longest outing of the season, as he allowed five runs, three of which were earned, on seven hits in seven innings pitched. He struck out six and did not walk a batter, picking up his first victory since May 26, 2007. It was Zagone's longest outing since he recorded a complete-game victory over Kansas State in April of 2007.
After Eastern Illinois took the lead on a solo home run by Jordan Tokarz, the Tigers answered by putting seven runs on the board in the bottom of the first. Senior Jacob Priday and freshman Andrew Thigpen had RBI singles and junior Kyle Mach capped of the scoring with a three-run home run, his second homer of the season.
EIU cut the lead to two with a run in the second and a three-run third inning, which included a two-run triple by Tokarz.
Mach picked up his second hit of the game with a two-out double in the bottom of the fifth and scored when sophomore Greg Folgia singled. Mach finished the night 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored. Priday also had a pair of hits in the game, adding his 11th double of the year in the bottom of the eighth inning.
The Panthers put up a run in the top of the ninth as Tristan Facer homered to cut the MU lead to two.
Junior Scooter Hicks came on in relief of Zagone in the eighth inning and recorded his third save of the year
The Tigers improve to 29-10 on the year, while the Panthers fall to 18-19. Missouri will be back in action at T.R. Hughes Ballpark on Wednesday, taking on Southern Illinois at 6:30 p.m.
