March 17, 2002
Columbia, Mo. - The University of Missouri softball team had several goals in mind entering Sunday's action of the Missouri Invitational. 1. Win its first tournament of the season. 2. Finish the tournament and the week undefeated. And 3. Extend it's season-best winning streak to nine. Mission accomplished. The Tigers took games from Loyola, 4-2 and Iowa State, 5-3 to finish the weekend at 6-0 and take the championship of the Missouri Classic.
The Tigers also raised their overall record to 18-16, the first time Mizzou has been two games over .500 this season, with one final tune up before they begin the Big 12 portion of their schedule. Head coach Jay Miller said he is pleased with the Tigers continued improvement.
"I like where we are at as a team and the way we are picking each other up when we fall behind or commit an error," Miller said. "The team is working very hard to improve and the fruits of those efforts are showing with each game we play."
The Tigers faced Loyola for the second time of the tournament in their first game on Sunday and fell behind early when LU's Natalie Martin drove in Ashley Gibbons to make the score, 1-0 in the top of the first. However, the Tigers would put together a major rally in the bottom of the second scoring four runs on three hits to grab a 4-1 lead. The Ramblers would tally one more run on a solo home run by Sue Stanley, but the Tiger defense would squelch the LU comeback attempt and take the game, 4-2. Freshman Veronica Flournoy earned her fourth win of the season going 5.0 innings allowing two runs and four hits while striking out four. Freshman Erin Kalka earned her third save of the season working 2.0 innings of two-hit ball allowing no runs while striking out two. Junior Sara Vassmer led the Tigers in hits with two while sophomore pinch hitter Daisy Mettlach went 1-for-1 with a single in the fourth driving in a run while also scoring a run.
Mizzou jumped out to 2-0 lead on the ISU Cyclones in the second game of the day. Senior Mary McGrane crushed her third double of the season to right center that scored Rachael McGinnis which was followed by a single by fellow senior Lindsey Jacoby that drove in McGrane to give the Tigers the advantage after three innings. However, after cruising through the opening three stanzas, junior Ingrid Werner gave up two runs and three hits in the top of the fourth to tie the game at 2. Kalka would enter in relief of Werner with no outs in the inning and induce shortstop to first base to third base double play and then strike out Molly McNertney to close out the Cyclone threat in the fourth. Mizzou would then reclaim the lead producing three runs in the bottom of the fourth taking a 5-2 lead. Kalka was brilliant the rest of the way going 4.0 innings giving up only one hit, a solo home run by Erica Martinez to lead off the sixth, while striking out four to earn the 5-3 win. She is now 6-5 on the season.
The Tigers have now won nine straight and look to equal their longest winning streak in the past two seasons against UCONN on Tuesday at 2 pm at University Field. The Tigers will then travel to Austin, Texas to take on Texas in a weekend series on Saturday and Sunday. For more information on Tiger softball, log onto www.mutigers.com.