Mizzou Baseball Game Day: Central Arkansas Bears

■ Finally, Missouri is ranked higher in the RPI and ISRs than their next opponent (just barely). Says something about the improvement in the Tigers over the past 2-3 weeks. Also says something about the Central Arkansas Bears.

• RPI (BoydsWorld.com): MU 178th; UCA 180th
• ISR (BoydsWorld.com): MU 164th; UCA 193rd
• Strength of Schedule (BoydsWorld.com): MU 185th; UCA 212th
• RPI (WarrenNolan.com): MU 180th; UCA 183rd

■ The Tigers were briefly above .500 on Sunday, for the first time in 2011. After the Chippewas won the final game of the series, MU returned to sea level, with a 10-10 record. With 20 games played, the regular season is already more than one third complete.

■ Word is Eric Anderson will get his first pitching start of 2011 on Tuesday against Central Arkansas.

■ Cardinal offense explodes in 15-5 win over UCA (KDFM.com)

Junior outfielder Kevin Roebuck drove in a career-high seven runs on Sunday at Bear Stadium as Lamar University was able to knock off Central Arkansas 15-5 in Southland Conference baseball action.

■ High scoring game gets away from Creighton baseball (gocreighton.com)

In a high scoring game in Conway, the Creighton baseball team again couldn't manage to pull one out, losing 8-7 on back to back doubles in the bottom of the ninth inning. Creighton falls to 9-3 on the season while UCA improves to 8-5.
. . .
After a scoreless top half of the inning for the Jays, Central Arkansas was back on the scoring streak again, adding two runs in the bottom of the second. A leadoff single by Zack Dickson, followed by a sacrifice bunt and a fielding error put runners on second and third with one out. A two out double by Houston knocked in two more runs (his fourth RBI of the day). Koenigstein then forced a ground ball to third base to end the inning.

■ Jason Van Skike tossed a no-hitter for Indiana State on Saturday in the first game of a doubleheader at Central Arkansas. It was the Sycamores' first no-hitter since 1988. It wasn't the prettiest no-no, as Van Skike struggled with his control while allowing eight walks and hitting a batter while the Bears stranded runners on second and third each of the last two innings. (espn.com, March 9, 2011)
■ After long road, Missouri's Lusardi playing for Tigers (KCTV5)

On Feb. 20, in the ninth inning of a game his team was trailing 11-3, a red-shirt sophomore came to the plate for Missouri as a pinch hitter. He struck out on five pitches and the game ended a few batters later.

This at-bat might seem insignificant, but to that red-shirt sophomore, Jeff Lusardi, it culminated a long trip to college baseball playing time that was finally beginning nearly three years after graduating high school.