Bowers Throws The 1st Pitch! MU announced Friday that junior forward Laurence Bowers would throw out the first pitch at the Cardinals-Reds game on Friday Sept. 3 -- the night before the Mizzou-Illinois football game. Bowers will be joined on the mound by Illinois basketball coach Bruce Weber. Bowers, who was a pitcher in high school in Memphis, Tenn., said in a statement that he anticipated "an incredible experience" that he would "remember forever." Tiger Tracker: Still no word on Ratliffe and Mitchell