Missouri Tigers Final '07 Rank: 31 42-18

The Missouri Tigers finished 2007 at 42-18, the fifth highest win total all-time for Mizzou hardball. Mizzou was second in the Big 12 at 19-8 and earned the opportunity to host a NCAA Baseball Regional for their effort. They ran into a buzzsaw Louisville Cardinal team however, losing two of three from the eventual CWS participant and finished their season short of their goal of making it back to Omaha for the first time since 1964. Despite losing their top two offensive players to the MLB draft (Evan Frey, 10th round; Brock Bond, 24th) a phenomenal core of players will return to Columbia and should keep the Black and Gold in contention for another run to Rosenblatt.

Junior Aaron Crow (9-4, 3.59) is quickly developing into one of the nation’s best pitchers. His fastball has been creeping up the radar every year since high school and is threatening to break the triple digit mark. This past summer Crow captured the Cape Cod League’s ERA title with a ridiculous 0.67 mark and also earned the Robert A. McNeese award as the Cape’s top pro prospect. Sophomore Kyle Gibson (8-3, 4.12) was the ace of the Tiger bullpen, saving a septuplet games (that’s seven to you and me) and fanning 77 batters in just 67.1 innings pitched. Standing at 6’5” and 180 pounds, scouts predict Gibson could grow into an early first round pick in 2009 if he adds weight, strength and consequently MPHs to his pitches. Another talented hurler rejoining the Tiger staff is Ian Berger. Berger earned a 5-1 record with a 3.97 ERA in his first year as a Tiger, after transferring from Illinois State. Junior Rick Zagone was an innings’ eater for Mizzou, pitching 102 frames and striking out 77 batters. He had an impressive 7-2 record, but must lower his 5.03 ERA to keep his weekend rotation status.

Offensively, senior outfielder Jacob Priday returns for what seems to be his tenth season to lead the Tiger charge. Priday has added a pair of homeruns to his total every year in Tiger stripes, finishing with 13 blasts in ’07 (9 as a frosh, 11 his sophomore campaign). After a slow start to the season where his average dropped below .200, he had a scorching hot second half to finish at .297; a major reason Mizzou was able to compete for the conference crown. Helping Priday plate runs and handling the Tigers’ pitching staff will be sophomore catcher Trevor Coleman. Coleman earned freshman All-America honors and the Big XII Freshman of the Year designation after batting .282 with nine homeruns. He twice had seven-game hitting streaks and hit six of his nine homers during integral conference play. Other important cogs returning to the Tiger lineup are speedy centerfielder Ryan Lollis, third baseman Kyle Mach and first baseman Aaron Senne. Lollis batted .294 and contributed 52 RBI his sophomore season and led the Tigers with 12 stolen bases. Mach, who grandfather won a World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1968, also hit .294 to earn All-Big 12 honorable mention consideration. Senne, the clean up hitter heir apparent, had been drafted in the 13th round by his home state Minnesota Twins in 2006 before choosing Mizzou. Last year the slugging Minnesotan hit .289, with 7 (or a septuplet if you wish) homeruns and led the team in doubles in his first year of college ball.