University of Missouri
Iowa State
Tiger Softball Splits With Cyclones
4/22/2009 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 22, 2009
Columbia, Mo. - The Missouri softball team (41-6, 11-3) split its final midweek series of the campaign, besting Iowa State (22-26, 4-10), 5-0 in game one, before falling one run short, 4-3, of the Cyclones in game two. Despite the loss, Missouri retained its lead in the Big 12 Conference, making its upcoming weekend series with No. 14 Oklahoma, a team that stands a half game back from Missouri, of even greater significance.
Blanking their 19th opponent of the campaign, senior pitcher Stacy Delaney (Freeland, Mich.) shut down Iowa State's offense, striking out seven batters and holding the Cyclones to a mere three hits. Delaney threw her eighth complete game of the year and has now hurled 101.0 innings, striking out 113 of the batters she's faced.
Game two saw freshman Chelsea Thomas (Pleasantville, Iowa) return to the circle in her first start since Missouri's March 21 outing against Texas. Throwing 4.1 innings, Thomas struck out nine Cyclones, but gave up an uncharacteristic four earned runs on four hits. Freshman teammate Kristin Nottelmann (Fenton, Mo.) entered the game in relief, twirling the final 2.2 innings. Notellmann held the Cyclones hitless and struck out three.
Missouri's five runs of game one were the result of eight hits and one Iowa State miscue. The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning and tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fourth on senior third baseman Lindsey Ubrun's (Riverside, Calif.) two run home run to left field. Ubrun proved Missouri's power hitter in the doubleheader and brought Missouri within one run of the Cyclones in game two with her two out home run in the bottom of the seventh. Sitting with 11 home runs on the year, Ubrun has moved to ninth in the single season home run record book and fourth in Missouri's career home run book with 27 yard balls to her name.
The Tiger's 10 game win streak came to an end after being held to only one run on three hits in game two. Leadoff batter Rhea Taylor (Buford, Ga.) opened strong with a double to left field, and scored on three-hole hitter Marla Schweisberger's (Raytown, Mo.) double to left center. Iowa State's pitcher, Rachel Zabriskie, retired 17 straight Tigers before second baseman Andee Allen (Barnhart, Mo.) was able to reach base on a fielding error by ISU's shortstop. Ubrun's two run bomb helped close the gap on Iowa State, but the rally fell short after pinch hitter Ashley Fleming (Silex, Mo.) lined out to short.
Missouri will put its 11-3 conference record against Oklahoma's 11-4 mark on Saturday, April 25 beginning at 2 p.m. (CT). Game two will be played Sunday, April 26 at Noon.
