Cox made his debut start against the No. 23 ranked Missouri Tigers (22-12, 8-5 SEC). Through the first four innings he struck out six batters faced, walked none, and only gave up three hits.
Getting back in the rotation, Cox enjoyed his first start.
“I’m pleased with how well I pitched,” Cox said. “I’m pleased that we scored some runs. It was a big win for a Friday night.”
Before the season, Cox was sent to the bullpen with a tired arm after a heavy work load last year.
“I’m tired now,” Cox said. “First six innings I felt pretty good. I started getting a little tired after the sixth inning, and when I went out for my seventh inning I knew I was just gonna have to compete.”
Cox went 6.1 innings, his longest outing of the year, and threw 106 pitches and struck out eight, one shy of his career high. Missouri mustered six hits off Cox. He walked one batter and gave up a two run home run.
Cox was pulled after the home run.
Peter Lenstrohm replaced Cox and went 0.2 innings getting a strike out and put a halt to the Missouri rally. Kyle Serrano came in to pitch in the top of the eighth inning, replacing Lenstrohm. Andrew Lee came out for the ninth inning to close out the game.
Head coach Dave Serrano played the pitching matchups with a good payoff for the Vols.
“That’s why it worked out so well tonight,” Serrano said. “One of the reasons I did what I did was I thought Peter (Lenstrohm) was a good matchup with where we were in the lineup with two right-handed hitters. I thought Kyle was a good matchup with where they were gonna come through if Peter got those two guys out and then let Andrew (close out the game).”
Cox got the win on the night and is now 1-1. Lee earned his seventh save of the year.
In the bottom half of the fifth inning second baseman Nick Senzel drove in two runs to get the scoring stared for the Vols. He was called out trying to advance to second, however, and ended the inning.
Designated hitter Christian Stewart hit his 10 homerun in the bottom of the sixth to push the Volunteers lead to 4-0. He got his homer against Missouri starting pitcher Reggie McClain.
“That was a big at bat by Christian,” Serrano said. “When he is hitting the ball the other way out of the ballpark, when he’s driving balls the other way to left field, that’s when you know he’s on it.”
Stewart added to the lead in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI single off Missouri pitcher Austin Tribby. Stewart, who is on the Golden Spikes midseason award watch list, pushed his RBI total to 33 on the season.
Missouri designated hitter Jake Ivory hit a two run home run off of Cox in the top of the seventh inning. It was the Tiger’s only two runs of the game. Missouri never challenged after that.
Game two of the series starts tomorrow at 7 p.m. at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
