March 17, 2001
Columbia, Mo. - The Tiger softball team (15-14) won two more in the Missouri Invitational Saturday, bringing its tournament record to 4-0, and giving the Tigers a winning record for the first time this season.
Mizzou faced Indiana in its first game of the day, and the Tigers didn't waste any time with the Hoosiers. In the first inning, freshman Rachael McGinnis hit a long double to center field that drove in junior Lindsey Jacoby. Then in the second, senior pitcher Stephanie Falk singled to left center field, driving in junior Heather Allister. Later that inning, sophomore Sara Vassmer slapped a single to the catcher that drove in freshman Jeni Schellert.
The Tigers scored another in the third when McGinnis scored off a right field single by Allister, but it was in the sixth that the Tigers sealed the win. Jacoby hit a single to the shortstop that drove in McGinnis, and sophomore Melanie Fisher knocked a long double that would hit six inches from the top of the fence, scoring Vassmer and McGinnis.
Falk pitched a complete game shutout, allowing four hits and striking out eight in 22 batters faced.
The Tigers then faced Temple, and although neither team scored in the first inning, the Tigers opened the flood gates in the second. Fisher started the rally with another double that just missed the top of the fence, and scored off a single by junior catcher Mary McGrane. Freshman pinch hitter Daisy Mettlach then walked with the bases loaded, driving in Allister. An illegal pitch by Pittsburgh's Heather Stillians scored another run for Mizzou. Then, with the bases loaded, Jacoby hit a double to left field that would score Karen Williams, Mettlach, and Jeni Schellert.
The bases were loaded again in the fourth when Rachael McGinnis hit a grounder to the second baseman that would score Sara Vassmer.
The Owls scored two in the fifth, but the Tigers answered the very next inning with two more runs off a Temple wild pitch and another single by McGinnis.
Sophomore Ingrid Werner pitched an excellent game, allowing five hits and striking out nine without a walk.
The Tigers finish the Missouri Invitational Sunday with games against Pittsburgh at noon and Indiana at 2 p.m.