Feb. 14, 2002

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The Mizzou Round Robin

Tigers Host Mizzou Round Robin in First Home Action of 2002 The University of Missouri softball team (1-3) continues its 2002 season this weekend as it welcomes three teams to University field for the Mizzou Round Robin. Action is set to kick off at 10 am on Saturday morning when Rhode Island takes on Illinois-Chicago. The Tigers will play their first game of the tournament on Saturday at 2 pm CST taking on Western Illinois before facing Illinois-Chicago at 4 pm CST.

Action will fire up once again on Sunday morning at 10 am CST when Western Illinois takes on Illinois-Chicago. The Tigers open play on Sunday at 12 noon when they face Rhode Island. Immediately following the MU-RI game will be the 3rd place game followed by the Championship game of the tournament.

A Look at the Westerwinds

The Western Illinois Westerwinds enter the Round Robin with a 1-5 record. WIU traveled to the Metrodome Classic in Minneapolis, Minn., last weekend picking up a win over Wisconsin Green Bay. Mizzou leads the series with the Westerwinds, 18-3. The Westerwinds are coached by Kathy Veroni, who is remarkably in her 30th season as head coach at WIU.

A Look at the Flames

UIC had a good weekend at the UCSB Early Bird classic going 3-2 with two wins over New Mexico State and a win over Loyola Marymount. Senior short stop Jennifer Tiffany had a good weekend, hitting .474 with two doubles and five RBI. The Flames are coached by Sarah O'Malley-Fisher and Tom Gray. UIC leads the all-time series with Mizzou, 2-1.

A Look at the Rams

Rhode Island opens its 2002 campaign at the Mizzou Round Robin on Saturday. The Rams are coming off one of their most successful seasons in school history with 30 wins. They finished fourth in the Atlantic 10 conference tournament, which equals the best showing by an RIU squad in school history. Kim Staehle, who is in her third year at Rhode Island, leads the Rams into action. This is the first time Mizzou and Rhode Island have faced each other.

Tournament #2 * Feb. 16-17, 2002 * Columbia, Mo.
Participants: Missouri (1-3 overall, 0-0 in the Big 12)
	Western Illinois (1-5 overall, 0-0 in the Mid-Continent )
	UIC (3-2 overall, 0-0 in the Horizon League)
	Rhode Island (0-0 overall, 0-0 in the Atlantic 10)
Radio:	Complete coverage of Tiger Softball can be heard on
	88.1KCOU and on the web at www.kcou.mu.org
Start Times: Feb. 16
	Rhode Island vs. Illinois-Chicago-10 am CST
	Rhode Island vs. Western Illinois-12 pm CST
	Missouri vs. Western Illinois-2 pm CST
	Missouri vs. Illinois-Chicago-4 pm CST
	Feb. 17
	Western Illinois vs. Illinois-Chicago-10 am CST
	Missouri vs. Rhode Island-12 pm CST
	3rd vs. 4th-2 pm CST
	1st vs. 2nd-4 pm CST
Series Info:MU vs. Western Illinois-MU leads, 18-3
	MU vs. UIC-UIC leads, 2-1
	MU vs. Rhode Island-First Meeting
Coaches:
	Missouri:Jay Miller (Illinois State '78) 529-279 at MU (15th year)
	679-385 overall (20th year)

	UIC:Tom Gray and Sarah O'Malley-Fisher(3-2 at UIC (1st year)
	3-2 overall (1st year)

	W. Illinois: Kathy Veroni (Illinois State ) 744-486-2 at WIU (30th year)
		744-486-2 overall (30th year)

	Rh. Island:Kim Staehle (UCONN '93) 50-60-1 at Rhode Island (3rd year)
		103-149-2 overall (6th year)

The Magnificent McGinnis

After hitting .330 with seven doubles, a team-best five triples and two home runs as a freshman last season, all-region selection Rachael McGinnis shows no signs of her production dipping off heading into this season. The 2001 Missouri Softball Co-Rookie of the year is off to a great start recording a sizzling .667 batting average in the Tigers first tournament of the season. McGinnis went 8-for-12 with a double and a triple and 11 total bases. She was also excellent in the field recording a 1.000 fielding percentage.

Full of Sound and Fury, But...

McGinnis' offense effort resembled the Tigers marks on the weekend very closely. Mizzou hit a blazing .312 as a team on the weekend, but managed only a .161 mark with runners in scoring position. Further exemplifying the need for run production would be the Tigers 28 runners they left on base for the weekend.

Last Time Out

Missouri went 1-3 last weekend at the Aztec Invitational in San Diego, Calif....Mizzou's win was a quality one with a 4-2 win versus No. 23 San Diego State on Friday...Sophomore Rachael McGinnis led the Tiger charge going 8-for-12 on the weekend (.667 batting average) while picking up 11 total bases and slating a .917 slugging percentage and a .714 on base percentage...Junior centerfielder Kristen Burke also had a great weekend registering a .417 batting average with a triple and a .583 slugging percentage.

Calm, Cool, Kalka

Freshman pitcher Erin Kalka has been as cool as the other side of the pillow for the Tigers on the mound. Kalka's quiet, focused approach has translated into nothing but success during the very early stages of her career at Mizzou. She registered a perfect 7-0 in the fall while recording a minuscule 0.14 ERA. The stand-out from Chandler, Okla. gave up only one earned run and allowed 15 hits while striking out 68 in 48.2 innings of work during the fall campaign. She also proved to be untouchable during the Tigers recent trip to the Caribbean island of Curacao. Kalka went 2-0 including a complete game shut out of the Netherlands Antilles National team in the second game of the series. Kalka struck out 17 in 15.0 innings of work and allowed on one extra base hit during the Tigers Southern excursion.

Kunkel Conquers Curacao

The Tigers did a lot more than just have fun and get great tans while they visited the island of Curacao. Case in point would be freshman Heather Kunkel. The shortstop from Oak Forest, Ill., had a very good trip leading the Tigers with a .538 batting average, seven RBI and a .615 slugging percentage.

Instrumentallister, Fundamentallister, Phenonmenallister

After transferring to Mizzou from Palomar Junior College and hitting a respectable .271 during her first season at Mizzou, senior Heather Allister appears to be on track to have an amazing 2002. Allister was unbelievable in the fall hitting a blistering .629 (22-for-35) while leading the Tigers in batting average, hits and on base percentage. She was also excellent in the field registering a 1.000 fielding percentage as the Tigers starting right fielder.

A Feel-Good Kind of Fall

The Tigers were...well... perfect during their fall schedule. Mizzou recorded a sparkling 12-0 mark. Mizzou was outstanding at the plate hitting .356 at the plate while outscoring their opponents, 90-14. MU knocked the cover off of the ball recording an amazing .502 slugging percentage while collecting 158 total bases. The Tiger pitching staff was also very tough limiting opponents to a .156 batting average while registering a 0.76 cumulative ERA.

Chief of Staff

With a three-person pitching staff that features two freshmen, junior Ingrid Werner will definitely be called on to provide some leadership and experience for Mizzou. Werner went 7-7 in 2001 with a 3.68 ERA. After tinkering with some minor mechanics changes this fall, she was excellent going 5-0 with a 1.63 ERA in 34.1 innings of work. Freshmen Erin Kalka and Veronica Flournoy will share the mound duties with Werner this spring. Flournoy was outstanding in her first action as a Tiger during their trip to Curacao. She went 1-1 on the trip with a 0.78 ERA in 9.0 innings of work. Flournoy, who has recovered well from late summer knee surgery, struck out three and allowed only four hits.

You're in Good Hands Senior Mary McGrane has caught some of the best pitchers to ever go through the Missouri softball program. After working with experienced veteran Stepanie Falk for the past three years, McGrane will now put her outstanding handling skills to work with a very young staff. The Tiger pitchers are in good hands, though, as McGrane has not recorded a fielding percentage lower than .991 the past three seasons and allowed only six passed balls by in 2001.

Covering Some Ground

Junior outfielders Kristen Burke and Sara Vassmer will roam center and left field respectively for the Tigers this spring. Vassmer enters her third year as an everyday starter in the Tiger outfield while Burke will be the regular starter in center field for the first time in her career. Both players were excellent in the fall recording perfect fielding percentages and while making several crucial and acrobatic plays.

Burke had a great offensive fall hitting .407 with 11 hits including two doubles and a triple. She carried that productive trend into the first weekend of the 2002 season hitting .417 with a double, a triple and seven total bases. Vassmer led the Tigers on the base paths recording seven stolen bases on eight attempts. She led the Tigers in runs scored (12). Vassmer has hit better than .300 and recorded 10 or more stolen bases the past two seasons.

Insight in the Infield

Much like the Tiger squad as a whole, the infield positions feature a good mix of youth and experience. First baseman Erin Erickson, who received the "Golden Glove" award last season for her solid play and .993 fielding percentage, returns at first base to anchor the infield. Erickson was a 2001 National Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association All-American.

Senior Lindsey Jacoby will also provide experience on the right side at second base. Jacoby has been named the "Most Improved Player" by the Tiger coaching staff the past two seasons and is coming off of a great fall in which she hit .464 in 10 games with four doubles, a triple and 13 RBIs.

Look for sophomore Morgan LeCluyse to also play a major role in the Tigers plans at shortstop. LeCluyse, who transferred to Mizzou this past fall from Iowa State, saw action in all 12 Tiger contests this fall recording 12 assists while going 4-for-4 in the stolen base column.

MUTIGERS.COM

Missouri's official web site can be found at www.mutigers.com. The comprehensive site, which includes releases, photos, biographical sketches and audio broadcasts, is part of the FANSonly Network. FANSonly currently hosts sites for more than 100 universities, including eight Big 12 schools.

Big 12 Coaches Tab MU Ninth

Missouri was picked to finish ninth in the Big 12 Conference this season, according to the preseason coaches' poll. The Lady Tigers were 31-28 overall last season, finishing eighth in the Big 12 with a 5-11 conference mark. Defending champion Nebraska was the overwhelming favorite in the preseason poll, garnering 78 total points and seven of the 10 first place votes.

Oklahoma, which claimed the Big 12 Tournament title last year, was picked second with 72 total points and two first-place nods. Texas was third with 65 points and the final first-place selection. Kansas (52 points) was picked fourth, followed by Texas A&M (49), Baylor (42), Oklahoma State (32), Texas Tech (28), Missouri (23) and Iowa State (9).

Tigers on the Radio

Tiger softball can be heard throughout the season on two different radio stations. KCOU 88.1 FM will kick off the coverage with the Mizzou Round Robin (Feb. 16-17), the Missouri Classic (Mar. 8-10) and the Missouri Invitational (Mar. 15-17). 1580 KTGR AM will then take the reins and cover the remainder of the Tigers schedule starting with the Tigers March 19 matchup with Connecticut.

All Tiger softball games can also be heard at the official web site of Missouri Athletics, www.mutigers.com. Once at the site, go to the softball page, click on the schedules and results section of the page, scroll down to the desired game link, and click on the live broadcast link.

Mizzou Softball Finds Success in Caribbean

Curacao, NA-With the 2002 softball season quickly approaching, the University of Missouri softball team had the opportunity to prepare in a very unique way. The Tigers traveled to the island of Curacao from Jan. 10-17 to train and compete with the Netherlands Antilles National Team. Curacao is an island located 50 miles north of Venezuela.

The Tigers finish action in the Caribbean at 3-1. MU came from behind in two of the wins. One run decided three of the four games in the series and two of Mizzou's wins came in the final inning of the game.

The Tigers played in front of large crowds throughout the trip. The team embraced the opportunity to experience a different culture and also developed a stronger sense of unity. Their hosts were warm, friendly people and treated them very well.

Tiger Softball Wraps Up 2002 Recruiting Class

Mizzou signs four of the top recruits in the state Missouri

Columbia, Mo.-University of Missouri softball coach Jay Miller announced the four members of the Tiger softball 2002 recruiting class on Wed., Nov. 21. Kendra Power (Kansas City, Mo.), Samantha Fleeman (Pleasant Hill, Mo.), Devon Francy (Pleasant Hill, Mo.) and Stephanie Standley (Lamar, Mo.) make up the class.

Power (2B/SS) will help sure up the Tiger middle infield for the 2002-03 season. A versatile player who can play both second base and short stop, Power was a member of the Park Hill South squad that reached the final four this fall in Class 4A. Power was named to the State All-Tournament team and also was a member of the "KC Lasers" summer traveling team that finished in the top 16 at the ASA Gold Nationals. Miller said that Power is a complete player and will make things happen in the Tiger line up.

Fleeman (P/1B) was considered by many to be the best pitcher in Missouri this year. She will also play first base for the Tigers. Fleeman was a vital member of two Pleasant Hill State Championship teams during her time at PHHS and set the Missouri high school record for strikeouts in a game with 44 in the State Final Championship game that lasted a record 21 innings this past fall. Fleeman was featured in the Nov. 19 issue of Sports Illustrated in recognition of her record, setting outing in the "Faces in the Crowd" section.

She sported a 22-0 record last season and allowed opponents to hit only 0.96 against her. For her efforts, she was selected to the Missouri All-State squad. Fleeman is also a member of the "KC Shockwaves" summer traveling team, that finished second in the nation at last summer's ASA National Tournament.

Francy (C/OF) was Fleeman's catcher at Pleasant Hill. She was one of the top hitters on the Pleasant Hill squad, which won two state championships and was a two-time all-state selection. Francy drove in the game-winning run in the 21st inning of the Missouri State Championship game, the same game in which her teammate, Fleeman set the single-game strikeout record. She was also a member of the "KC Shockwaves" summer traveling team.

Standley (OF/Middle Inf.) will also provide depth and versatility for the Tigers. Her ability to play multiple positions will be key for the Tigers as they look to solidify their lineup. She was named first team All-Big 8, all-district, all-sectional and all-state this past fall. She also is a pole vaulter and plays basketball at Lamar High School.

Three Tigers Named All-American Scholar Athletes Columbia, Mo.-Three members of the 2001 Missouri Softball team were named All-American Scholar Athletes by the National Fast Pitch Softball Coaches Association on Tuesday. Karen Williams, Stephanie Falk and Ingrid Werner each were named for the second time in their careers.

Williams, who completed her eligibility with the 2001 season, was also named NFCA All-American following last season. She is only the second player in Missouri softball history to be named to both teams in the same season, the other being Karen Snelgrove in 1991. Williams led the Tigers in batting average (.429, the ninth-highest average in the nation last season) and stolen bases (24) in 2001.

Falk, who also completed her eligibility in 2001, was one of the most prolific pitchers in MU history. She holds the MU record for innings pitched (1006.1), games started (144) and appearances (176) and ranks second on the charts in strikeouts (865), complete games (117) and career wins (89).

Werner is the elder member of the 2002 pitching staff as a junior and looks to continue her success. She has been named to the NFCA Academic All-American squad each of her fist two years at MU. The native of Fremont, Calif., was also named Academic All-Big 12 and received Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors for week of February 22. She carried a 1.63 ERA through the Tigers fall season and 11 runs in 34.1 innings of work.