April 23, 2002
Columbia, Mo.- It was a bittersweet day at University field for the University of Missouri softball team on Tuesday as they faced the Saint Louis Billikens in their final home games of 2002. It was bitter in the fact that Mizzou dropped the first game of the doubleheader in dramatic fashion, 6-5 in nine innings on a wild pitch that scored a run. The sweet part came in the second game as the Tigers gave seniors Mary McGrane, Heather Allister, Lindsey Jacoby and Erin Erickson a dominating 10-0 win in their final home game of their careers.
The Tigers found themselves in trouble right away in Game 1 as freshman starter Veronica Flournoy gave up four runs on four hits while walking one in just 2/3 innings of work in the top of the first prompting Miller to bring in freshman Erin Kalka. Kalka would give up a two out double in the top of the second to the Billikens leading hitter, Nicole Bohnenstiehl, that scored the Bills lead-off hitter Erin Jeffery as SLU took a 5-0 lead through two innings. The Mizzou offense would come alive in the bottom of the third after being silenced in the first two innings. Sophomore Morgan LeCluyse started the rally with an inning-opening solo home run to left field, her seventh home run of season. After a single by Sara Vassmer, Tiger designated player Melanie Fisher would step to the plate and rock a two-run homerun to dead center field, her fourth job of 2002 as the Tigers pulled to within two at 5-3. Mizzou would continue the comeback in the fourth scoring two runs on three hits to tie the game at 5-5 heading into the fifth.
Both pitchers were excellent from that point on. Neither team could manage a run over the next four innings despite several scoring opportunities. Kalka would prove to be brilliant the rest of the way scattering seven hits in 8 2/3 innings of work while striking out three. The two squads left a total of 22 runners on base, 13 of which came in the final four innings. After neither squad pushed a run across to break the tie through seven innings, extra innings were required. The two squads would remain tied until the top of the ninth when Bohnenstiel, who was placed on second base to begin the inning in accordance with the international tiebreaker rule, advanced on a sacrifice bunt and then scored on a wild pitch by Kalka, which proved to be the difference. The Tigers would have a chance to take the game as Rachael McGinnis earned a walk and Heather Allister, who was also awarded second base advanced to third. However, freshman Heather Kunkel and senior Erin Erickson were retired both on hard hit balls to short and left field respectively stranding the base runners and ending the game with SLU taking a 6-5 win.
The Tigers came back with a vengeance in the second game of the night. Seven of the 10 Tigers that registered an at-bat recorded a hit as Mizzou took out some frustration on SLU starter Kristen Rossi recording 10 runs off of her in a 10-0 win in five innings. LeCluyse and McGinnis led the Tiger offensive charge recording two hits a piece while LeCluyse scored three runs and McGinnis drove in four. Remarkably, Mizzou did not record an extra-base hit in the contest and left only one person on base. Junior Ingrid Werner had her best outing in two weeks picking up the complete game shutout allowing only three hits while striking out three picking up her 10th win of the season.
LeCluyse had a brilliant day at the plate going 5-for-7 with a home run and four singles while scoring five runs and knocking in three. Sara Vassmer also extended her hitting streak to nine registering four hits on the evening. Mizzou finishes the year at 17-13 at University Field. The Tigers are now 29-30 overall and 4-12 in the Big 12. They now travel to College Station, Texas this weekend to take on the Aggies in games on Saturday and Sunday. The two contests will wrap up the regular season for the Tigers. They will then turn their attention to the Big 12 tournament set to begin next Thursday in Oklahoma City. All Tiger contests can be heard on 1580 KTGR in Columbia or at www.mutigers.com.