Tigers Win Over Sedalia Airmen, 11-4

(Columbia Daily Tribune, April 20, 1954)

The Missouri Tigers had little trouble in posting their fifth victory of the season yesterday as they defeated a weak-hitting Sedalia Air Force Base team, 11-4, in the opener of a two-game series at Rollins field.

Coach John Simmons, still seeking a third starting pitcher to go with Emil Kammer and Ed Cook, tested a couple of his second line hurlers, and while the competition wasn't too stiff, the results were satisfactory.

Harold Gastineau and Med Park limited the airmen to two hits in the first eight innings and Bert Beckmann, Simmons' No. 1 relief man, hurled a hitless ninth.

Norman Stewart was scheduled to start for the Tigers in the final game of the series this afternoon.

Gastineau, working the first six innings, gave up both Sedalia hits and two runs. Catcher Charles Kreuger's single with two out in the fourth was the first Sedalia blow and the airmen tallied twice in the fifth on two walks, a passed ball and Paul Schwartz' single to left.

Gastineau went out for a pinch-hitter in the Tiger fifth. Park took over and gave up three walks and hit one batter during his three-inning stay. He was in trouble in the seventh, but managed to escape with only one run crossing the plate.

Don Patrick, leading off, was hit by a pitch, and after Pat Tordiglione fanned, Pitcher Ed Russell tapped to the mound and Park threw wildly to second. A walk to Schwartz loaded the bases and Patrick scored as PAul Copley forced Schwartz at second. John Mancuso drew a walk to load the bases again, but Kreuger struck out to end the inning.

The Tigers made 11 hits off Russell, who went the route for the airmen, and took advantage of 11 walks, eight stolen bases and four Sedalia errors to score in every inning except the fourth. Jack Gabler, who replaced Buddy Cox at second base in the fifth, had the only Missouri extra-base blows - both doubles.

After today's game, the Tigers will be idle until next week when they open their Big Seven campaign with a two-game series with Iowa Sate on Monday and Tuesday at Rollins field.