COLLEGE STATION, Texas—Barret Loux struck out 11 Missouri batters over seven-plus innings to lead No. 21 Texas A&M to a 3-1 win Friday night before 4,248 fans at Olsen Field.

Loux and closer John Stilson combined to hold a hot-hitting Tiger offense to a season-low three hits, allowing just one walk while fanning 15 on the night.

With the victory, the Aggies improved to 16-5 and 3-1 in Big 12 play, while Mizzou fell to 12-7 and 0-1 and saw its five-game win streak snapped.

“That was a great Friday night game,” A&M coach Rob Childress said. “Barret continued to be the guy that leads us in to every weekend. He pitched his tail off and John Stilson came in and gave us a great finish. I can’t say enough about the job that Barret did, because (MU starter) Nick Tepesch settled in and had a really good outing.”

The Tigers threatened quickly in their first at-bat. Michael Liberto led off the game with a single to center. The next batter, Kale Gaden, dropped a bunt to Loux on the mound, who turned to throw out the lead runner. The throw was wide and in to center field, however, setting Mizzou up with two on and no out. Aaron Senne then moved both into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt to set the table for cleanup hitter Brett Nicholas.

With Nicholas facing a 1-0 count, Loux threw a strike and Gonzalez fired behind the runner Liberto at third. Shofner covered and applied the tag, icing the lead runner and getting the second out of the frame. Loux then fired two strikes, the last one catching Nicholas looking to keep the game scoreless.

A&M would use that momentum to get all the offense Loux would need before the Aggies registered their first out.

Brodie Greene was hit by a pitch leading off the frame, and an infield single by Matt Juengel moved him to second base. The next hitter, Joe Patterson, drove the first pitch deep into right center for a long base hit, scoring Greene easily. Juengel, hustling all the way from first, scored in front of the throw home. The two-run single staked the Aggies to an early 2-0 lead.

“We could have been down 2-0 after that first inning before we knew what hit us,” Childress said. “Instead, we got the momentum and cashed in and we were up 2-0 after the first. To me that was the difference in the game.”

A&M would make the score 3-0 in the third when Juengel connected on a long leadoff home run to left center field off Tiger starter Nick Tepesch, his third round-tripper of the season.

Mizzou got to Loux for its only run in the fourth on a two-out double to right center by Eric Garcia that scored Aaron Senne. Garcia would be the second to last baserunner of the game for the Tigers, however—Loux retired the next 10 in order, allowing one ball out of the infield—to push the game into the eighth.

After walking the lead batter of the eighth, Loux was lifted for John Stilson, who needed just 17 pitches to get the final six outs of the night—four via the strikeout.

Loux (4-1) got the win after going seven-plus and allowing three hits, one run and one walk while fanning 11. Friday marked his fourth consecutive 10-plus strikeout outing of the year. Stilson picked up his fourth save of the season with two perfect innings of relief.

Tepesch (2-1) was strong for the Tigers but still suffered the loss. He gave up five hits, two walks and three earned runs over 7 1/3 innings while fanning four.

Juengel finished the day 2-for-3 with the home run and two runs scored. Patterson drove in a pair to lead all hitters on the night. For Mizzou, Liberto, Senne and Garcia collected the only Tiger hits in the game.

The series continues on Saturday with first pitch set for 2:05 p.m. Fans can listen locally on WTAW-AM 1620 or follow via free live video or stats on aggieathletics.com.

NOTES: Barret Loux became the 12th player in school history to strike out 200 batters in a career when he fanned Cale Gaden in the sixth inning … Loux’s 11 strikeouts were one shy of his career high of 12, set against Winthrop on March 5 … it was Loux’s fourth straight 10-plus punchout effort … Brodie Greene’s career-high 16-game hit streak came to an end with an 0-for-3 night, although he did get hit by a pitch and score a run … Caleb Shofner extended his hit streak to 10 games, a career high … Joe Patterson’s streak is now at 10 games … he has hit safely in all but one game this year and reached safely (hit, walk or HBP) in 35 straight games dating back to last season … Scott Arthur pushed his streak to five games, a career high … Friday marked the 11th game this year that A&M pitching has fanned 11 or more hitters … it marked the fourth time this year that the staff has struck out 15 or more in a game … game-time temperature was 71 degrees with clear skies and winds blowing out to center at eight miles per hour.

ADDITIONAL POSTGAME QUOTES

A&M COACH ROB CHILDRESS

On John Stilson’s outing: “He was outstanding. What he’s struggled with the last few times out is getting the first hitter. We walk Ampleman to start the eighth, and they have LaFleur coming up, and he was able to get LaFleur. I think for him, or anybody, that’s so important coming out of the bullpen.”

On why Loux was inducing so many pop-ups: “He was throwing strike one. I don’t know what his first-strike percentage was tonight but I bet it was pretty darn good.”

A&M P BARRET LOUX

On his outing: “The main thing I was trying to do was go more than five or six innings to take the weight off (A&M closer John) Stilson, so he did not have to go three or four tonight as he has in the past.”

On the first inning: “That’s obviously not the way I want to start the game. But (Kevin Gonzalez) Gonzo makes a great heads-up play and that just changed the momentum of the game. I feel like his play was the play of the game.”

On getting comfortable with an early lead: “It’s definitely nice and comforting to pitch with the lead and try to get your guys back in the dugout and let them keep swinging it.”

On Kevin Gonzalez: “He’s not only a great receiver but he’s looking for outs. If he can get one or two outs a game for you, that can save an inning of work or save the game.”

A&M 1B MATT JUENGEL

On the home run: “Coach had me take the first couple of pitches my first two at bats, because I haven’t seen much playing time and I was struggling at the beginning. I got my rhythm down my first at-bat, and got jammed pretty bad. The next at bat, I took a pitch way outside and then the pitcher just laid one in there, and I just connected with it.”

On battling for a starting spot: “I’m always supporting my team. It’s not about me, it’s about the team. Whatever I can do to help the team, I’m happy to do it, whether I’m in the lineup or cheering for (John) Stilson at the end.”

Missouri............ 000 100 000 - 1 3 1 (12-7, 0-1 Big 12)

Texas A&M........... 201 000 00X - 3 5 2 (16-5, 3-1 Big 12)

Pitchers: Missouri - Tepesch, Nick; Hardoin, Zack(8); Clubb, Ryan(8) and Ampleman, Ryan.

Texas A&M - Loux, Barret; Stilson, John(8) and Gonzalez, Kevin.

Win-Loux, Barret(4-1) Save-Stilson, John(4) Loss-Tepesch, Nick(2-1) T-2:15 A-4248

HR TA - Juengel, Matt (2).

Weather: 71, clear, wind SE 8

Loux faced 1 batter in the 8th.