University of Missouri
Oklahoma
No. 3 Tigers Rally Past No. 12 Sooners
3/27/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 27, 2010
NORMAN, Okla. - The No. 3 Missouri softball team (23-3, 1-0 Big 12) used two home runs on a blustery, swirly afternoon and an eight-run sixth to rally past the No. 12 Oklahoma Sooners (26-8, 0-1 Big 12) in the Big 12 conference opener.
The Sooners jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three innings of play, getting three unearned runs in the bottom of the second and tacking on two more with a two-run home run in the bottom of the third to take the early lead.
Mizzou's offense came alive in the fourth, though, highlighted by junior Catherine Lee's two-out, three-run blast to dead center field. With two outs in the inning, junior Marla Schweisberger kick-started the rally with a single through the left side, and freshman Nicole Hudson drew a walk. With a 1-1 count, Lee send a ball through the swirling 27 mile per hour winds to cut the Sooner lead to 5-3.
In the sixth, the wheels came off the wagon for the Sooners, as the Tigers collected eight runs on five hits and three errors in the top half of the inning.
Freshman Jenna Marston doubled left-center, leading off the inning, and advanced to third when Hudson reached on an error with one out. After Lee walked, senior Michaele Vock singled up the middle to score Marston and cut the lead to 5-4. Following a Sooner pitching change, junior Megan Christopher singled on a 2-2 count to drive in a run and tie the game at five apiece. Senior Gina Schneider followed with an RBI single of her own, giving Mizzou their first lead of the day. Junior Rhea Taylor reached on a fielder's choice, and a throwing error on the play by the first baseman scored two more Tiger runs. Sophomore Ashley Fleming capped the frame with a three-run home run to straight-away center field, putting the Tigers up by an 11-5 score.
Freshman Lindsay Muller pitched two innings of relief, allowing just one hit while facing the minimum, as she picked up her third win of the season. Lee and Fleming both finished the day going 1-for-3 at the plate with a home run and three batted in. Michaele Vock went 2-for-2, scoring once and driving home an RBI.
Missouri goes for a sweep over Oklahoma tomorrow, as the two squads will play the final game of the two-game set, beginning at Noon CT.
