COLUMBIA, MO. • For a disappointing Missouri baseball season to live another day, Tigers coach Tim Jamieson has no choice but to hand the ball to Tanner Houck, his sophomore righthander. Exalted in the preseason as a possible No. 1 draft pick in 2017, Houck has shown scattered flashes of that potential all season. Just ask Vanderbilt.
On March 26, Houck pitched nine scoreless innings against the perennial Southeastern Conference power, giving up two hits and two walks with a career-best 14 strikeouts.
But there are reasons the Tigers finished 9-21 against SEC opponents this season, six games behind last year’s .