Missouri
#7 Northwestern
Tigers Suffer Shutout in Final Game of Invitational
3/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 18, 2007
Columbia, Mo - Closing out the third-annual Tiger Invitational with an afternoon game against seventh-ranked Northwestern, the Missouri softball team (22-16) fell, 10-0 to the Wildcats (19-5) in five innings on University Field. With the loss, Missouri ended its home tournament with a 3-3 record that included a 10-8 win over Western Illinois earlier in the day.
Missouri's youth struggled in the circle, allowing the Wildcats 11 hits in the game. Making her 11th start in the circle, freshman Alaina Jacobson (Crocker, Mo.) faced eight batters in the first inning, giving up seven runs, six earned, on seven hits before being relieved by freshman lefty Jana Hainey (Raymore, Mo.). Hainey closed out the inning and twirled two and one third in all, allowing three runs on five hits. Junior ace Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) closed out the game, throwing two innings of action and striking out five of the six batters she faced.
Northwestern used the powerful swings of first baseman Garland Cooper and catcher Erin Dyer to drive in eight of the Wildcats 10 runs. Both batters were 2-for-3 at the plate, each hitting two home runs. Cooper, the three-hole hitter, knocked a three-run home run in the first inning and a two run bomb in the fourth, while Dyer managed a two rum home run over the right field wall in the first and a solo shot over the left field wall in the second.
The Tigers were held to only one hit, a bunt single, by leadoff batter Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.) in the third inning. Four Tiger batters reached base on balls, with pinch runner Meredith Nash (Peculiar, Mo.) advancing as far as third in the bottom of the fourth inning. Earlier in the inning, Bruck was awarded first after being hit by pitch. The inning came to a close on a strikeout looking.
Missouri will begin a five-game road series Wednesday, March 21 when they take on No. 20 Southern Illinois in Carbondale, Ill.
