COLUMBIA, Mo. — Vanderbilt’s 13-game win streak came to an end Friday night at Taylor Field as the Commodores fell 5-4 to Missouri.
Missouri (20-10, 4-7 SEC) hit a walk-off two-run single with two outs to take Game 2 and even the series after the Dores won Thursday night.
Vanderbilt (25-6, 10-1 SEC) had won its first 10 SEC games to begin conference play, setting a new program record.
Hunter Owen got the start on the bump Tuesday and allowed one earned over five-plus innings of work. Owen struck out seven and held Missouri to just four hits. Sam Hliboki threw three scoreless innings before Missouri’s ninth-inning rally.
Vanderbilt wasted no time putting runs on the board. Enrique Bradfield Jr. worked a leadoff walk, stole second and scored on a one-out double down the third-base line by RJ Schreck. The Dores plated another as Schreck scored from second on an RBI single by Jack Bulger.
Missouri’s Ty Wilmsmeyer evened the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the second with a two-run homer to left.
Vanderbilt quickly retook the lead with a pair of runs in the top of the 3rd. Bradfield tripled to right field to get the inning going and Schreck poked a single through the left side to beat the shift and bring Bradfield home from third.
After Schreck took second on a wild pitch, Bulger hit a soft grounder that the catcher fielded and threw to first to get the out. Schreck moved up to third on the groundout and alertly headed home on the throw to first, scoring safely to give Vandy a 4-2 lead.
An RBI double in the bottom of the fifth halved Vandy’s lead but Owen got a strikeout to end the inning and strand the tying run in scoring position.
Vanderbilt and Missouri exchanged scoreless frames as Vandy remained on top 4-3 until the bottom of the ninth. The Tigers recorded four consecutive singles, walking it off on the fourth as two runs crossed the plate.
The Commodores and Tigers will decide the series at 2 p.m. Saturday with action airing on SEC Network+.
