PINE BLUFF - Jerimiah Figueroa hit his second home run of the year, batting in four runs and fellow teammate Josh Cassidy hit his second consecutive game home run, as UAPB hammered No. 23 Missouri, 8-3, on the road Tuesday.
The Golden Lions, who have won 10 of their last 14 games, snapped the Tigers' mission, who's coming off a good series win over No. 6 South Carolina. UAPB has won their second game against a nationally rank SEC opponent this season, beating Mississippi State 3-2 earlier this month.
Missouri took a 1-0 lead heading into the second. The Golden Lions would roar back after the Tigers would put two UAPB runners on first and second. Followed by Tommy Haas grounded to first, but would reach base on an throwing error, which would score Cassidy and Colin Drury to put the Golden Lions ahead 2-1 in the top of the second.
Cassidy first homer to left field, a solo shot in the seventh and Figueroa repeated the effort again with a two-run blast over the left field wall in the bullpen in the eighth with Vladimir Gomez on first after he reached on an error.
UAPB, playing one of the toughest non-conference schedule among Division 1-AA schools, has made its best start in school history under Coach Carlos James.
Cassidy led all hitters going 3-for-4 with an RBI. His batting averaged is up to .282 after the Missouri game and he has 13 RBIs on the season.
“The venue doesn’t bother us at all,” UAPB's James said. “Actually, we think we’re supposed to win. We don’t play against the jersey or the conference.”