Baseball Drops Series Opener 5-4 to No. 24 Arkansas

Thursday, April 23

Columbia, Mo.

7 P.M.

Missouri

20-22, 3-16

Arkansas

28-15, 10-9

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Arkansas	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	2	0	5	6	0
Missouri	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	8	0

Josh McDevitt struck out 11 Razorbacks vs. Arkansas, April 23, 2026

4/23/2026 11:10:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score Postgame Media

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou baseball dropped the opener of a three-game Southeastern Conference series to No. 24 Arkansas, 5-4 on Thursday night at Taylor Stadium.

The Tigers (20-22, 3-16 SEC) hit a pair of home runs in the first inning and rallied with a run in the ninth, but it was ultimately not enough for the series-opening victory. Arkansas (28-15, 10-9 SEC) got on the board after a solo shot in the fifth and added a pair of two-out runs in both the seventh and eighth innings, respectively, to take a late two-run lead.

Righty Josh McDevitt started the game on the mound for the Tigers, tossing 6.1 innings and striking out a career-high 11 batters. He allowed three runs on four hits and four walks and did not factor into the decision.

The Tigers started off hot as Jase Woita took the first Arkansas pitch of the night opposite-field into the Tiger bullpen to put Mizzou on the board (405 ft.) with his team-leading 10th homer of the season. Two pitches later, after shortstop Kam Durnin was hit by a pitch, freshman Blaize Ward continued his recent power surge and hit an opposite-field, two-run shot (348 ft.) to left, making the score 3-0 Tigers after the first stanza.

In the fifth, the Razorbacks answered with a solo shot to right field, cutting the lead to 3-1.

RHP Trey Lawerence entered the game for McDevitt in the seventh and inherited a pair of runners in scoring position. However, Arkansas was able to deliver the equalizer with a two-out, two-run single back up the middle.

The Razorbacks capitalized on the momentum, taking the lead with two outs in the eighth as Zack Stewart connected for a two-run shot to deep right center to make it a 5-3 advantage for Arkansas.

In the ninth, freshman Donavan Jordan delivered a clutch pinch-hit RBI single back up the middle to bring in a runner as the Tigers inched within one with the tying run on base. However, that was all the Tigers were able to get as the Razorbacks hung on for the 5-4 victory.

NOTEBOOK

McDevitt punched out 11 batters to mark a career high. He has struck out seven-plus batters in four-straight starts, going for five or more innings in all of them. The junior matched a career high with 106 pitches - now doing so in back-to-back outings.
Woita slugged his 10th home run of the season - an opposite-field solo shot (405 ft.) on the first Razorback pitch of the game. He ended the day 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI.
Woita's leadoff home run made it consecutive games with a leadoff dinger for the Tigers, following suit from Blaize Ward on Tuesday vs. SIUE. Before Ward's leadoff homer, the Tigers hadn't hit one since March 26, 2024, when Jackson Beaman did so versus Illinois.
Ward hit his third home run of the season - an opposite-field two-run shot (348 ft.) in the first inning. He ended the day 2-for-3 with a home run. All three of his long balls on the season have come in the last five games.
With a single in the first inning, catcher Mateo Serna extended his on-base streak to eight games. Serna also reached base via a walk.
Durnin notched his eighth stolen base of the season
Ian Loshe threw a scoreless ninth inning, earning a strikeout.
The Tigers hit multiple homers (two) for the 12th time this season and for the third time in the last five games (April 17 at No. 14 Oklahoma and April 21 vs SIUE).

The Tigers are back at home Friday night to host No. 24 Arkansas for game two of their three-game series, with first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. CT (SEC Network). All Mizzou baseball games can also be streamed on the Varsity Network by Learfield, with longtime play-by-play announcer Tex Little on the call and Matt Michaels providing color.

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