March 18, 2000

The Missouri Softball team (23-10) beat Illinois State and Western Michigan to take the lead in the Missouri Invitational with a 4-0 record and extend their winning streak to seven games. The Tigers tallied 20 hits in today's two games.

The Tigers started the day with a 5-1 win over Illinois State. The Tigers were the visiting team after the coin flip. They waited to begin their scoring until the top of the second inning. Dara Throneburg led off the inning with a single to the short stop. Erin Erickson followed with a single to center field. Mary McGrane advanced both runners on a sacrifice bunt. Two batters later Sara Vassmer hit a two RBI-single to left field. Throneburg and Erickson scored making the score 2-0 in favor of the Tigers.

The Tigers scored again in the top of the fifth on a somewhat complicated play. Christy Skouby hit a RBI-single, scoring Sara Vassmer. Karen Williams was thrown out trying to take third, then Skouby was thrown out at first as she was turning back from trying to take second. Skouby dove into the bag and was injured on the play, but she returned to the game to play defense.

The Tigers final runs came in the top of the sixth. Erin Erickson hit a home run over the left center field fence to give the Tigers the 5-1 advantage. It was the second day in a row Erickson hit a homer in the sixth inning of the Tigers' first game.

Illinois State scored one run off a Bridget Fournie single in the bottom of the sixth. Until then, Missouri pitcher Stephanie Falk had pitched 20 scoreless innings.

Falk picked up the win for the Tigers, improving her record to 11-6.

The Tigers were the visiting team in their 4-1 win over Western Michigan as well. And once again, the Tigers first scored in the top of the second inning. Swarts led off the inning with a double to right-center field. Erickson advanced Swarts to third with a single to left field. Swarts scored on an Amy Farmer sacrifice fly to right field.

The Broncos were next to score. Alaina Scott scored on a Melissa Martens RBI-single to center field. After five complete innings the score was tied at 1-1.

The Tigers went ahead in the top of the sixth. Skouby walked and Linda Swarts singled to left field. Both runners advanced on a Dara Throneburg ground out to second base. Erickson reached first and Skouby score on an error by third baseman, Nicole Drabecki. Farmer singled to left field to score Swarts. The Tigers had a chance to score another run, but Erickson was thrown out at the plate for the third out of the inning.

Falk came in to relieve Werner with one runner on and no outs in the bottom of the sixth. Falk shut down the remaining Bronco batters. She struck out six and walked one.

The Tigers scored one more run in the top of the seventh. Stacy Gemeinhardt scored on a Swarts single.

Ingrid Werner picked up the win for the Tigers. Her record improved to 9-4.