Missouri
Texas A&M
Clutch Hitting Lifts Tigers Past Fifth-Ranked Aggies, 5-0
4/21/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 21, 2007
Columbia, Mo. - Missouri first baseman Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.) came up with the clutch fifth inning hit that helped the Tiger softball team (33-18, 9-1) take an eventual 5-0 win over fifth-ranked Texas A&M (36-7, 9-4) at home on University Field. A&M, who entered the game having outscored its last seven opponents, 37-1, gave up its most runs in 11 games, while junior Megan Gibson was handed her third loss of the season (15-3). Tiger ace Jen Bruck improved to 16-5 on the year and has recorded eight of the Tiger's nine Big 12 wins.
A pitcher's dual through four innings, Missouri managed only one hit before the bats warmed in the bottom of the fifth. Bruck, batting seventh in the lineup, grounded out to second base to open the inning but back-to-back doubles by senior third baseman Alli Kennewell (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and senior catcher Kathy Masterson (St. Louis, Mo.) helped put the Tigers in scoring position for the first time of the game. Returning to the top of the order, senior Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.) recorded the second out of the inning when A&M catcher Beverely Rowan laid out alongside the third base dug out to make a diving catch in foul territory. Freshman Julie Silver was next to the plate and managed to reach first on a strikeout swinging, passed ball play. With the bases loaded, three-hole hitter Renth stepped to the plate and crushed her sixth double of the season to deep right field. The bases cleared, Missouri took a 3-0 lead, and Renth now owns a team-high 54 RBI on the season.
Bruck returned to the circle in the top of the fifth and shutdown the Aggie offense, allowing one of only four hits on the day. Bruck finished the day having thrown her 10th complete game and third shut out of the year. Striking out eight batters, Bruck held Texas A&M to a .167 batting average, while improving her ERA to 1.10 in Big 12 contests.
Texas A&M was forced to make a pitching change late in the sixth inning after Gibson walked sophomore Andee Allen (Windsor, Mo.) and gave up back-to-back singles and a run. Emily Shadow entered the game in relief but allowed the Tigers their final run of the game when Kennewell scored from third on a wild pitch. Kennewell finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate with two runs and an RBI.
Game two between the Tigers and Aggies will begin Sunday, April 22 at Noon on University Field.
