No. 3 Tennessee Volunteers Takes Series Against Missouri Baseball

Despite making it a one-run game in the eighth, the Tigers weren't able to complete a comeback against the Volunteers.

Mizzou Athletics

This game went better than the first game of the series, but the Missouri Tigers weren't able to come away with the win

The Tigers put up a late comeback in the eighth inning to make it a one-run game, but they eventually dropped the game 3-2, and the series with it, just an inning later.

After a rough outing the weekend before, Lunceford came out and put up a strong night on the mound against the No. 3 Volunteers. He went five innings, with three of those being scoreless. Lunceford gave the Tigers a chance to get ahead, but despite loading the bases in that time, they weren't able to get a run across.

Unfortunately for the black and gold, junior Drew Beam for Tennessee was not looking to give up another game to Missouri. He pitched game three in the sweep of the Volunteers last year, in which Missouri put up seven runs overall. In this game, he held the Missouri to just six hits through 7 1/3 innings on 106 pitches.

Beams final hit given up in the game was a two-run shot to senior third baseman Trevor Austin in the top of the eighth. It was the only runs that the Tiger pushed across in the game.

The bottom of the fourth is when the runs started coming across for Tennessee. A two-out rally gave the Volunteers a lead of two after three straight hits and a wild pitch. Another run came across in the bottom of the seventh on a ground out.

Senior relief pitcher Ian Lohse took the mound for Lunceford in the sixth inning, but his outing was very short. After just eight pitches and a strikeout, Lohse had to be helped off the field after a come-backer hit him in the ankle at 104 mph. With little preparation, sophomore Brock Lucas had to come into the game in the sixth and get the next two outs.

Lucas tossed 2 2/3 innings of one hit, one run ball for the Tigers to close out the game. He helped keep the game close for Missouri, but the offense wasn't able to provide enough support.

Missouri's record drops to 19-25 on the season and 6-14 in SEC play, while Tennessee improves to 35-7 and 13-6. The Tigers will try to avoid the sweep in game three at 11 a.m. CT.