Feb. 20, 2002
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Tigers Have Georgia on Their Mind, Travel to Leadoff Classic This Weekend
The University of Missouri softball team (3-5) travels to one of the most highly regarded tournaments in the nation this weekend when they play in the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. The Tigers open competition on Friday when they take on UMASS at noon EST. Defending champion Stanford, one of four teams in this year's field which competed in last year's Women's College World Series, will be the Tigers second opponent of the day on Friday with game time set for 7:30 pm EST.
Other members of the 2002 Leadoff Classic field which made 2001 WCWS appearances are LSU, Michigan and Oklahoma. Of the 24 teams in the field, 18 competed in NCAA post-season play in 2001 and 13 finished in the final USA Today/NFCA Top 25.
Miller Contributes to The Softball Coaches Bible
Tiger softball head coach Jay Miller is considered by many to be one of the best groomers of outstanding fast pitch softball pitchers in the world. However, in Miller's contribution to The Softball Coaches Bible, the new book published by the NFCA, Miller deals with what is another trademark of his program, an aggressive run-producing offense. The book features contributions from the best coaches in America dealing with everything from making a great power hitter to drawing more fans to the ball park. Miller said he is very honored to be part of what will be a good tool for softball coaches for years to come.
"To be included in such a great project and gathering of great coaches is truly an honor for myself and our softball program," Miller said. "This book will be a premier reference tool that will provide a wealth of knowledge for coaches who want to take their teams to the next level."
The Leadoff Classic
Tournament #3 * Feb. 22-24, 2002 * Columbus, Ga. Opponents: Missouri (3-5 overall, 0-0 in the Big 12) No. 25 UMASS (3-2 overall, 0-0 in the Atlantic 10) No. 2 Stanford (9-0 overall, 0-0 in the Pac 10) No. 14 Cal. State Fullerton (6-5 overall, 0-0 in the Big West)Start Times: Feb. 22 Missouri vs. No. 25 UMASS-12 noon EST Missouri vs. No. 2 Stanford-7:30 pm EST Feb. 23 Missouri vs. No. 14 Cal. St. Fullerton-10 am EST Bracket Play-5pm EST and 7:30 EST Feb. 24 Bracket Play-8, 10, Noon EST Series Info: MU vs. UMASS-MU leads the series, 3-0 MU vs. Stanford-Stanford leads, 1-0 MU vs. Cal. St. Fullerton-CSFU leads, 4-0 Coaches: Missouri: Jay Miller (Illinois State '78) 531-281 at MU (15th year) 681-387 overall (20th year) UMASS: Elaine Sortino (Oneota State '71) 733-329-3 at UMASS (23rd yr.) 733-329 overall (23rd yr.) Stanford: John Rittman (New Mexico St. '86) 219-100 at Stan. (6th yr.) 219-100 overall (6th yr.) Ca. St. Full: Michelle Gormacki (CSFU '87) 99-34 at CSFU (3rd yr.) 99-34 overall (3rd year)
More On the Classic
The tournament format consists of six, four-team pools. Following pool play, the top team from each pool, along with two at-large teams, will advance to the Gold Championship Bracket.
The remaining four second-place teams along with four at-large teams will be placed in the Silver Championship Bracket and the remaining eight teams will be assigned to the Bronze Championship Bracket. All brackets will be single elimination/consolation. Each team will play a minimum of five games (three pool, two bracket) regardless of pool or bracket assignments.
Saturday bracket play will be at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday's bracket play is scheduled for 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon.
Tiger Tid-Bits
The University of Missouri softball team went 2-2 this weekend taking third place in the Mizzou Round Robin...The Tigers split both days grabbing wins over University of Illinois-Chicago and Rhode Island...Senior Heather Allister had a great weekend recording a .538 batting average (7-for-13) and while driving in five...Junior Sara Vassmer was also solid posting a .529 batting average while scoring four runs and stealing two bases...Junior Ingrid Werner pitched the first perfect game in school history since April 26, 1991 when Karen Snelgrove was perfect against the UMKC Kangaroos Tiger's five inning win over Rhode Island...She struck out 12 on the weekend and allowed only two extra base hits.
A Look at the Minutewomen
The University of Massachusetts sports a 3-2 record heading into this weekends action. The Minutewomen have not played since Feb. 10 at the Fiesta Bowl Classic. After opening the season at No. 24 in the preseason poll, UMASS fell to No. 25 in the latest poll. Elaine Sortino, who is in her 23rd year at Massachusetts, leads UMASS into action this weekend. The Tigers lead the all-time series with the Minutewomen, 3-0.
A Look at the Cardinal
The Cardinal (9-0) will compete in this weekend's seventh annual NFCA Leadoff Classic in Columbus, Ga. Stanford is slated to battle No. 14 Cal State Fullerton in its first contest at the tourney at 5 p.m. EST on Friday. Meanwhile, the Cardinal will enter the tournament as the No. 2 team in the nation- the highest ranking in the history of the program. Stanford is coached by sixth-year head coach John Rittman and leads the all-time series with Mizzou, 1-0.
A Look at Titans
The No. 14 Cal State Fullerton softball team (6-5 overall in 2002) will take to the friendly skies for the first time this season. The Titans will open the tournament against Massachusetts on Friday (Feb. 22) at 2:30 p.m. before battling defending Leadoff Classic champion Stanford for the second-straight tournament at 5 p.m. Michelle Gormaki leads the Titans into the tournament in search of her 100th career win. The Titans hold a 4-0 lead over the Tigers in the all-time series.
Last Time Out...
Tigers Take Third Place in Mizzou Round Robin
MU's Werner pitches seventh perfect game in Missouri school history in third-place game.
Columbia, Mo.-The University of Missouri softball team took third place in the Mizzou Round Robin Sunday losing to the University of Rhode Island 6-5 and then defeating the Rams in the 3rd-place game 9-0. The Tigers finish the tournament with a 2-2 mark and are now 3-5 overall. The University of Illinois-Chicago Flames took first place in the tournament by defeating Western Illinois in the championship game.
California Glove
Junior Ingrid Werner, who is from Fremont, Calif., pitched only the seventh perfect game in Missouri softball history last Sunday against Rhode Island. The last perfect game by Missouri was on April 26, 1991, when Karen Snelgrove was perfect against UMKC. While Werner's pitching prowess was remarkable on Sunday, her fielding was the key to her perfecto. Of the 15 batters Werner faced, four of them grounded out to the pitcher, one of them lined out to the pitcher and Werner struck out one in the Tigers five-inning conquest over the Rams.
Ripping the Cover off of the Ball
The top four batters in the Tiger lineup had great weekends last time out in the Missouri Round Robin. Sara Vassmer, Morgan LeCluyse, Heather Allister and Rachael McGinnis accounted for 25 of the Tigers 47 hits on the weekend and 16 of the Tigers 26 total runs. Those four members of the Tiger squad hit a combined .455 on the weekend and had 11 of the Tigers 23 RBI's.
The Far Outfield
Harkening back to my 70's roots, the Tiger outfield was...well...far out this weekend. The trio of senior Heather Allister and juniors Sara Vassmer and Kristen Burke went 1-2-3 this weekend in batting average and hits. Vassmer paced the Tigers in hits and total bases with nine and 11 respectively while Burke and Allister each hit their first home runs of the 2002 season. Come back next week to learn more hippy lingo. Only joking.
If You Smell...What the Rock...Is Cooking!
Sophomore Rachael McGinnis, who head coach Jay Miller referred to as the "rock" of the Tigers line up has been all that and a bag of Wavy Lays (or really good in laymans terms) for Mizzou early in the season. The native of Overland Park, Kan., is off to an All-American like start recording a team-best .520 batting average on 13 hits, three doubles, a triple and 18 total bases. McGinnis has also been solid in the field recording no errors in 28 attempts for a 1.000 fielding percentage.
Going the Extra Mile
Junior Lindsey Jacoby continues to impress at the plate for Mizzou. She currently is tied for the lead in extra base hits (4, two double and two triples) and is tied for fourth on the team in total bases (14). Sporting a .308 batting average, the product of Huntsville, Mo. has recorded a .538 on-base 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.
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 Stephanie 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.
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. he 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