Interest in the program and attendance have increased. Coach Tim Jamison believed that part of the reason 3,847 showed up at Kauffman Stadium to see the Tigers play Kansas on Tuesday had something to do with new fans won over by the Tigers’ postseason play in Columbia last year.
“We had done some good things to elevate the program in the last five, six years,” Jamison said. “But until you get your local fans to buy in …We had been missing the crowds. Then we hosted (the regional), and a lot of people who showed up wanted to come back.”
Regionals on your campus can be that important.
The Tigers have work to do if they’re going to repeat as a host program this year. Although they’re ranked No. 14 nationally, Mizzou stands fourth in the Big 12, and the league has never had more than three teams serve as one of the 16 first-round hosts.
“Hopefully we can get back in it and put ourselves in a position to host,” Jamison said.
In NCAA play, four teams are assigned to each of the 16 first-round sites, with the winners emerging into the super regional round, played at eight sites. Those winners advance to the College World Series.
Last year, Missouri earned one of those first-round sites but lost to Louisville in the regional title game.
One problem for the Tigers this year is that they’re a combined 1-5 against Oklahoma State and Texas A&M, two of the teams ahead of them in the Big 12 race. The Tigers finish the regular season with a home series against second-place Nebraska.
Being in fourth-place may not be holding Missouri back as much as its RPI. Yes, the same Ratings Percentage Index that helps select the NCAA men’s basketball field is a tool used by the baseball committee to identify at-large teams and seed the 64-team baseball field.
After its 3-0 loss to the Jayhawks, Missouri fell to the mid-40s in the RPI.
“We have a lot of climbing to do,” Jamison said.
It’s not a subject that gets much dugout chatter, anywhere.
“We take a line from Tom Osborne,” Nebraska coach Mike Anderson said of the Cornhuskers’ legendary football coach and athletic director. “Winning isn’t talked about often. You take care of the things that contribute to winning.”
Since 2005, Nebraska twice has been host to regionals, advancing to the College World Series in 2005.
