University of Missouri
Baylor
Tigers Lose Heartbreaker to Lady Bears
4/6/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 6, 2002
Columbia, Mo.-The University of Missouri softball team dropped a tough game to Baylor University, 5-4 Saturday night in Columbia. Mizzou is now 23-24 overall and 1-7 in the Big 12 while Baylor improves to 39-11 and 6-3 in the Big 12. Head coach Jay Miller said the Tigers were victim once again to one rough inning.
"We played very well for six innings tonight," Miller said. "The second inning was a tough one but we did give ourselves a good chance to win tonight but came up a little short. We need to bounce back quickly and come ready to play tomorrow."
The Bears would strike for a run in the top of the first inning on a single by junior Sarah Caudle that scored leadoff batter Kelly Levesque. However, the Tigers would come back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the opening frame. Junior Melanie Fisher would single to left field scoring Morgan LeCluyse and Sara Vassmer as the Tigers took a 2-1 lead.
Baylor would answer right back with four runs of their own in the top of the second to take a 5-2 advantage. After the tough second inning, starter Erin Kalka (10-10) was outstanding shutting out the Lady Bears for the remainder of the game. After allowing five hits and five runs in the first two innings, Kalka would allow only two more BU hits while striking out one.
Mizzou would spring for another run in the bottom of the fourth when freshman Heather Kunkel extended her hitting streak to seven games driving in junior Melanie Fisher with a double to left field. The tally pulled Mizzou within two at 5-3.
Neither team would score in the next two innings and Kalka would shut the door on Baylor in the top of the seventh with Mizzou coming to bat. With two outs, senior Heather Allister singled to center field. Daisy Mettlach would then pinch hit for Sara Vassmer and would be hit by a pitch. LeCluyse would then single to left to load the bases with the Big 12's leading hitter, Rachael McGinnis coming to bat. However, it wasn't McGinnis' bat that did the damage, it was her patience. Mizzou would score a run on a wild pitch by Baylor reliever Joni Miller to pull within one at 5-4. McGinnis would then walk to reload the bases with the Tiger's cleanup hitter Fisher coming to the plate. Despite a solid at-bat, Fisher would ground out to the shortstop to end the threat and the game.
Mizzou will face Baylor again tomorrow at University Field with first pitch scheduled for 1 pm. For more information on Missouri softball, log on to www.mutigers.com.
