University of Missouri
Mississippi Valley State
Missouri Softball Team Opens Tiger Invitational With Win
3/10/2006 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 10, 2006
Columbia, Mo. - Playing in the opening game of the second annual Tiger Invitational, the Missouri softball team (11-7) shutdown the Mississippi Valley State Devilettes (1-15), 9-1, in five innings at University Field. This marked the second game of the campaign that the Tigers were able to win by run-rule and brought the Tigers even with the Devilettes in the all-time series (1-1).
Sophomore pitcher Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) was credited with her 11th win of the season. Bruck hurled four complete innings striking out four batters and allowing only one run on two hits before freshman righty Megan Dennis (Liberty, Mo.) entered in the fifth, striking out one of the three batters she faced.
Missouri took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Batting leadoff for the 16th time this season, junior outfielder Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.) drew a walk from Devilette pitcher Nikki Stouder bringing Bruck to the plate. Bruck flew out to left field, but Bowers managed to successfully steal second and advanced home on senior outfielder Janessa Roening's (Port Angeles, Wash.) single up the middle.
The Tigers opened the bottom of the third inning in similar fashion to the first. Bowers led off with a walk, and Bruck flew out. Bowers stole second base, but in this inning advanced home on back-to-back errors by Mississippi Valley State's second baseman Candace Wilson and rightfielder Balencia Young. Cleanup hitter Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) laid down a bunt and advanced to second on the throw, sending Roening home for Tiger run number two. Sophomore Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.) 2-for-2 on the day, singled to centerfield allowing Minner time to run home. Serving as pinch runner for the eighth game this season, sophomore Amy Henke (Florissant, Mo.) entered for Renth, advanced to second on a passed ball, stole third and scored on an error by third baseman Candy Shempert.
Mississippi Valley State scored their only run of the game in the top of the fourth inning. Shumpert was hit by pitch and pinch runner Danielle Burns advanced to second on a sac bunt by Megan Hays, later advancing home on one of only two Devillete hits on the day, a single up the middle by leftfielder Valerie Nicholson.
Batting leadoff to start the fourth, freshman shortstop Andee Allen (Barnhart, Mo.) crushed her first homer of the season over the centerfield fence. As a team, the Tigers have tallied 16 home runs this season.
Missouri notched back-to-back four run innings, scoring four runs on three hits and three Devilette errors in the bottom of the fourth.
The Tigers finished the day's game with six stolen bases, tying the 2006 season high previously set March 5 against St. Louis at the Missouri State Spring Classic in Springfield, Mo. To date, the Tigers are 37-of-46 on stolen bags.
Day two of the Tiger Invitational will begin Saturday morning at 11 a.m. when Drake takes on Mississippi Valley State at University Field. Missouri will continue tournament action in a 1:30 p.m. (CST) game against Drake.
