Softball

MU Softball Splits in First Day of Mizzou Round Robin

Feb. 17, 2001

Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri softball team split today, first falling to DePaul 4-0, then rallying to defeat Western Illinois 2-1 in 10 innings.

Mizzou faced DePaul in the first game of the Mizzou Round Robin, where they held the Blue Demons scoreless in the first two innings. DePaul would then score one run in each of the following four innings off hits by Dana Jakusz (twice) and Tatum Allen (twice). Both teams went scoreless in the final inning.

Mizzou then faced the Westerwinds of Western Illinois, where both teams held each other scoreless until the final inning. WIU would draw first blood as leadoff hitter Dani Hoffman homered to start the seventh inning. The Tiger defense recovered quickly, though, staving off any more runs as Katie Pickens grounded out to shortstop Lindsey Jacoby for the third out with runners in scoring position.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh, leftfielder Kristen Burke hit her first career homerun to tie the game. The Westerwinds made the last two outs with no runs scoring to take the game to extra innings.

Both teams played good defense in the eighth and ninth innings, but in the bottom of the tenth with no outs and the bases loaded, Lindsey Jacoby singled to centerfield to drive in Rachael McGinnis for the winning run.

"I think we did a good job of battling back in the second game," said Assistant Coach Mindy Johnson. "Our execution wasn't great today, but we really came together as a team in the second game to come away with the win. That's something we can build on for tomorrow and the rest of the season," Johnson said.

In other Mizzou Round Robin action, Western Illinois defeated Northern Illinois 8-0 in five innings, and DePaul battled from a 3-0 deficit to beat Northern Illinois 7-4.

The tournament continues Sunday as DePaul takes on Western Illinois at 10 a.m., followed by Missouri vs. Northern Illinois at noon. The consolation final will be at 2 p.m., and the championship final will begin at 4 p.m. Mizzou action can be heard on KCOU 88.1 FM or at www.coe.missouri.edu/~kcou/.