Such is the power of the Missouri baseball team’s pitching staff that Coach Tim Jamieson can send regular second baseman Greg Folgia to the mound for a midweek start and still the strikeouts come in bunches.

Folgia

Folgia fanned the first five batters he faced last night, and the Tigers dominated South Dakota State 13-1 on Simmons Field.

"That was weird," Folgia said.

Weird because his strategy was to induce contact in order to keep his teammates involved on a wet and windy 40-degree night.

"I try not to walk people," Folgia said. "It’s boring for the players out there, especially when it’s cold. They get stiff."

Folgia worked five shutout innings, striking out seven and walking none. He threw just 65 pitches to earn his first victory of the season, and the fourth-ranked Tigers improved to 14-2.

Last year, Folgia was used mostly as a pitcher, going 5-4 with a 4.50 earned run average in 26 appearances. But with the departure of Brock Bond, Folgia became the starting second baseman. Before last night, he had only pitched one inning this year and had yielded three runs.

When told he had drastically lowered his ERA, Folgia said, "What was it, 99?"

He exaggerated. It was 27. But now it’s a respectable 4.50.

"Greg’s got a good arm and had a pretty good year as a pitcher for us last year," Jamieson said. "Fortunately, we’ve got enough depth where we haven’t had to use him as much this year. This is going to be his role: Come out in the middle of the week and give us four or five or six innings."

Folgia didn’t forget how to hit, either, going 3 for 5 with three runs scored. His leadoff single in the first gave him a 10-game hitting streak.

Dan Pietroburgo went for 4 for 5, and Jacob Priday regained his old form at the plate in his second game back after missing five games with an abdominal strain. In the third inning, Priday smoked a home run into the bullpen in left field off soft-tossing left-hander Matt Baerlocher, who took the loss. Priday also doubled home a run in the sixth and finished 2 for 3 with three RBI.

"I couldn’t start swinging until last weekend," Priday said. "Just been in the cages getting some hacks. I’m trying to keep it toned down right now."

Missouri scored in every inning but the fifth. The Jackrabbits (5-10) got their only run in the eighth off Kelly Fick, who was the fourth of five MU pitchers.

Jamieson gave two freshmen rare starts. Andrew Thigpen went 2 for 4 with two RBI and made a pair of nice plays at shortstop. He knocked down a one-hopper off his chest and flipped to second for a force that ended the third inning and started a 6-4-3 double play that ended a threat in the fourth. Jonah Schmidt started in left field and went 1 for 3 with two walks and two RBI.

That wasn’t all that was new at Taylor Stadium. Although few fans were there to hear it - announced attendance was 202, which seemed generous - an organist provided the musical entertainment. His offerings ranged from Busch Stadium favorite "Here Comes the King" to the Violent Femmes’ "Blister in the Sun."

Could this be a new tradition?

"We’ll see," Jamieson said cautiously. "It takes some getting used to, but it can add to the atmosphere."

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