University of Missouri
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Kansas
Mizzou Softball Wins Fourth Straight
4/18/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 18, 2002
Lawrence, Kan.-The University of Missouri softball team (27-28, 3-11 Big 12) stretched its current winning streak to four games on Thursday, taking out Kansas (29-19, 5-7 Big 12), 4-2. The four-game stretch is the second longest winning streak Mizzou has registered this season with the longest being a 10-gamer in the first part of March.
Mizzou continued its recent power surge to open the Tiger scoring in the first inning as sophomore Rachael McGinnis pounded her seventh homerun of the season driving in senior Heather Allister and junior Melanie Fisher to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. The shot was Mizzou's fifth homerun in the last four games and was hit right into the teeth of a 33 mile-per-hour southwest wind.
The Jayhawks would respond in the bottom of the first scoring an earned run and then chasing starter Ingrid Werner after two plus innings after she walked the leadoff batter of the inning and 2-0 to Shelly Musser. Freshman Erin Kalka would then enter the game and would allow a run to score on two hits, but the Tigers maintained a 3-2 lead after three innings.
Mizzou would score its fourth run in the top of the fourth when senior Mary McGrane, who went 2-for-2 with a walk and a double, scored on an errant throw by the third baseman on a hard-hit ball by sophomore Morgan LeCluyse. Kalka was excellent from there as she handcuffed the Jayhawks for five hits, no runs and two strikeouts in 5.0 innings of relief to get the win. Kalka has not allowed a run in her last 15.0 innings of work. Head coach Jay Miller said he was pleased to see the Tigers got off to a good start.
"We really jumped out quickly and gave our pitcher some room to work," Miller said. "We are improving every game and Erin (Kalka) has given us some great innings in her past three outings."
The Tigers are now 27-28 overall and 3-11 in the Big 12 conference. Mizzou welcomes Texas Tech to University Field this weekend for a two-game series. Game 1 will start at 7 pm on Saturday as part of Super Tiger Saturday and Sunday's contest will start at 1 pm. Sunday will be Senior Day as the Tigers recognize their four seniors before the game. All Tiger softball games the rest of the season can be heard on 1580 KTGR in Columbia or at www.mutigers.com.
