March 12, 2000
The Missouri Softball team (17-10) took second place in the Missouri Round Robin. The Tiger finished the tournament with a 4-2 record. Their losses were to the champion, Southern Illinois, and Northern Iowa. The Tigers faced both teams for the second time today. Missouri lost the game to Northern Iowa 8-6, sealing SIU's win, but beat the Salukis in the final game of the tournament 6-1. Southern Illinois was the winner, however, with a 5-1 record.
Missouri and Northern Iowa have faced off six times this season. Although Missouri has the advantage overall, the Panthers got the best of the Tigers today. Northern Iowa scored first. In the top of the first, Kylie Sloan scored on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded, just barely beating the throw home.
Missouri answered back in the bottom of the inning. After a single to left field, Stacy Gemeinhardt advanced to second on a Karen Williams sacrifice bunt. Gemeinhardt stole third and scored on a throwing error by the Northern Iowa catcher.
Northern Iowa rallied in the top of the second. With two outs, Lindsay Wood singled to right field, followed by a Kristi Johnson single. Jeannine Soncini hit a RBI single to right field, scoring Wood. Missouri's senior pitcher, Christy Caccavo, came in to relieve freshman Ingrid Werner. Soncini scored on a throwing error by Tiger shortstop Linda Swarts. Allison Taverner hit a home run deep into left field with one runner on to put the Panthers up 6-1.
The Tigers attempted a comeback in the bottom of the inning. Dara Throneburg started the inning with a double. Erin Erickson followed with a RBI single to center field. Mary McGrane walked. Sara Vassmer advanced the runners on a sacrifice bunt. Stacy Gemeinhardt hit a two-RBI triple to center field, scoring McGrane and Erickson. The score was 6-4 in favor of Northern Iowa after two innings.
The Panthers were not about to give up. In the top of the fourth, they scored two runs on a Sloan home run to left field. Missouri brought Werner back in to finish the game in the top of the fifth.
The Tigers brought on a rally in the bottom of the sixth. Erin Erickson started the inning with a walk. Mary McGrane grounded out to third and Erickson advanced to second. Sara Vassmer hit a single to third base. Stacy Gemeinhardt came up and drill her second double of the day to left field and Erickson scored. Kristen Burke pinch hit for Karen Williams and was hit by a pitch. Williams re-entered to run for Burke. Christy Skouby reached on a fielder's choice and Stacy Gemeinhardt was tagged out at third. Linda Swarts struck out to end the inning with the tying run on first.
The Tigers made a valiant attempt in the bottom of the seventh, but all they could muster was an Erin Erickson single. Werner got the loss for the Tigers. Her records moves to 7-4.
Missouri came back with a vengeance in their second game of the day. Even though they knew Southern Illinois had won the tournament, there was no way they were going to lose again. The Tigers were the visiting team on the scoreboard after the coin flip.
Missouri opened the game with a walk by Gemeinhardt. Skouby singled to right field, advanced to second on the throw to third to try to throw out Gemeinhardt, and advanced to third on a throwing error by the Southern Illinois right fielder. Gemeinhardt scored on the play. The Tigers scored in much the same fashion in the second inning. Dara Throneburg reached on an error by the Saluki shortstop and advanced to second on a wild pitch. The next two batters struck out. Vassmer walked and Throneburg stole third and scored on a throwing error by the SIU catcher.
Southern Illinois attempted a rally in the bottom of the second inning. Nettie Hallahan tripled to center field. Marta Viefhaus hit a RBI-single to center field. The Tigers retired the next three Saluki batters. The score was 2-1 in favor of the Tigers after two innings.
Missouri scored two runs each in the fifth and sixth innings to score the 6-1 victory. In the fourth, Skouby and Gemeinhardt scored on a Swarts RBI-single to center field. In the sixth, Lindsey Jacoby scored on a wild pitch and Erickson scored on a McGrane ground out to the pitcher.
Stephanie Falk pitched the win for the Tigers. She recorded 14 strikeouts and no walks. It was her third consecutive game with double figures in strikeouts. In 27 innings of work this week Falk struck out 52 batters and only walked one.
The Tigers have a busy week next week. The play a double-header against UMKC in Kansas City on Wednesday, a double-header against Illinois State at home on Thursday, and will play six games in the Missouri Invitational on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.