Tigers Host Doubleheader With No. 9 Sooners
4/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 9, 2002
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Tigers Host Doubleheader With No. 9 Sooners
The University of Missouri softball team wraps up a six-game home stand on Wedensday as it welcomes No. 9 Oklahoma to University Field. Mizzou is now 23-25 overall and 1-8 in the Big 12 while Oklahoma enters the double header at 34-8 and 7-0 garnering the top spot in the conference.
Mizzou has won three of its last five, but has dropped two straight in the Big 12. Three of the Tigers final six regular season opponents were ranked in the latest NFCA/USA Today Coaches poll. In fact, their next two opponents were ranked in the Top 10 with Oklahoma at No. 9 and Nebraska (who the Tigers will take on on Saturday and Sunday) at No. 4.
Tiger Tid-Bits
The University of Missouri softball team went 3-3 last week splitting two games with Saint Louis University, taking two games from Southeast Missouri State and dropping a hard fought series to Baylor...junior Melanie Fisher hit a robust .500 (9-of-18) last week hitting her first home run of the season against Saint Louis on Tuesday and recording her first triple of the season on Wednesday in the Tigers win over SEMO...She recorded six RBIs and scored four runs...Fisher, who has played 18 games for the Tigers after joining the team following the women's basketball season, has recorded a hit in eight straight games and has had a hit in 13 of the 18 games she has played in...The Tigers are still hitting the ball well as they are second in the Big 12 in batting average (.288).
The Oklahoma Edition
Games 49-50 * April 10, 2002 * Columbia, Mo.
University of Missouri (23-25 overall, 1-8 in the Big 12)
Opponent: No. 9 Oklahoma (34-8 overall, 7-0 in the Big 12)
Start Times: Wed., Apr. 10
Missouri vs. No. 9 Oklahoma, 3 pm
Missouri vs. No. 9 Oklahoma, 5 pm
Radio Info: All Tiger Softball softball games can be heard on 1580 KTGR AM or at www.mutigers.com
Series Info: OU vs. Missouri-OU leads, 33-30
For More Info: MU-www.mutigers.com
OU-www.soonersports.com
Coaches:
Missouri: Jay Miller (Illinois State '78) 550-300 at MU (15th year)
703-406 overall (20th year).
Oklahoma: Patty Gasso (Long Beach St. '84) 387-118 at OU (7th year)
515-169 (12th year)
A Look at the Sooners
OU enters Wednesday's contest as the top team in the conference with a 7-0 mark and an overall mark of 34-8. The Sooners have won 10 straight matches and are a perfect 8-0 on at home. They are currently the No. 9 team in the nation according to the latest NFCA/USA Today Coach Poll.
Under the tutelage of head coach Patty Gasso, the Sooners lead the league in hitting (.299) , slugging percentage (.499), runs (254), doubles (62) and homeruns (46).
Freshman catcher Heather Enea leads the offensive juggernaut with a .382 batting average, which ranks fourth in the Big 12. Enea leads the league in doubles (15) and runs batted in (44). Speedster Christy Ring ranks second in the league in both runs scored (35) and stolen bases (26). The Sooners lead the all-time series with the Tigers, 33-30.
Last Season Against the Sooners
Last season's series, which was scheduled to be played in Norman on Mar. 27, was rained out.
Who's En Fuego
* Junior designated player Melanie Fisher has recorded a hit in each of the last eight games and has slated a hit in 13 of the 19 games she has played in so far this season.
* Sophomore Morgan LeCluyse enters Wednesday's action with a seven-game hitting streak and has also scored a run in five straight contests.
* Freshman Heather Kunkel continues to impress at the plate. Over the past 10 games, Kunkel has hit .312 and just had a seven-game hit streak broken in the Tiger's second game of the series against Baylor last Sunday.
Another Day at the Office
Although official records are recorded in the areas of consecutive assists and putouts in a game aren't kept (I know, I am a slacker), it is probable that Huntsville, Mo. native Lindsey Jacoby had to be knocking on the doorstep on Saturday against Baylor. Jacoby had a hand in six consecutive plays, 4-3 or second base to first base. On the night she had an assist or a putout in 11 of the 21 outs the Tigers recorded.
The Oklahoma Connection
Several of the Tigers have connections with both the state of Oklahoma and the Sooner softball team. Junior Kristen Burke, freshman Erin Kalka and assistant coach Mindy Johnson are all originally from the Sooner state. All three played on the same club team, the Oklahoma Ultimate, that finishes consistently in the top 10 in the nation in the ASA.
Coach Johnson is also definitely no stranger to the Sooner softball program. She is a 1998 graduate of OU where she was a four-year starter in the outield. She still ranks in OU's top 10s in games played, at bats, hits, RBI's, doubles, total bases and extra base hits. The Sooners won at least 42 games every season while she was there and qualified for NCAA Regionals all four years.
Good Starts...Tough Endings
The Tigers have jumped all over their opponents this season in the early innings of games. However, in mid and late innings of games, their offensive production has diminished immensely. Below is a inning by inning break down of the Tigers scoring so far in 2002.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Tigers 43 26 31 35 23 13 12 Opponents 22 16 14 30 30 34 2
Last Time Out...
No. 24 Baylor Tops Mizzou, 4-1
Seventh inning rally falls short once again for Missouri softball team.
Columbia, Mo.-The University of Missouri softball team dropped the second and final game of its series with the Baylor Lady Bears on Sunday, 4-1. Mizzou falls to 23-25 overall and 1-8 in the Big 12 Conference while the Lady Bears move to 40-11 and 7-3 in the conference. The Tigers have now lost two of their last three and have dropped three straight series against Big 12 competition. Baylor would jump out to an early lead scoring a run in the top of the second off of starter Ingrid Werner (8-9) on a single by Kourtny Westerfeld that drove in Danelle Arnold. Werner would end up lasting 3.0 complete innings giving up only three hits and one run before being replaced by freshman Erin Kalka in the top of the fourth.
Kalka, who pitched the entire game on Saturday night against Baylor, did not have her best stuff though giving up three earned runs and five hits in 1.0 inning of work. After giving up leadoff a home run in the fifth inning to Kristen Lancaster, freshman Veronica Flournoy would replace Kalka. Flournoy was excellent going 3.0 innings scattering three hits while giving no runs.
The Tiger's offense had been rendered mute by Baylor starter Joni Miller through the first four innings as she held the Tigers to no runs and only two hits. However, in the bottom of the fifth, Morgan LeCluyse would crush a home run off the scoreboard in left field and Rachael McGinnis singled to right field prompting Baylor to bring in Katie Decker to pitch. Decker would retire the Tigers in order in the remainder of the sixth, but not before Mizzou would pull within three at 4-1 on the LeCluyse yard job.
Flournoy would retire the Lady Bears in order in the top of the seventh and the Tigers were down to their final at bat. For the second game in as many days, the Tigers made a major run to get back in the game in the seventh. Junior pinch hitter Kristen Burke would single to center to begin the Tiger rally with one out. Senior Heather Allister would then reach on a fielder's choice but Burke would record the second out, short stop to second base. Sophomore Daisy Mettlach would then pinch-hit for junior Sara Vassmer and the move would pay dividends for the Tigers as Mettlach singled to left field bringing the tying run to the plate in the person of LeCluyse. Decker had LeCluyse's number this time though as Morgan would go down swinging. Decker earned her second save of the season.
700 and Counting
Head coach Jay Miller is the all-time winningest coach in MU softball history with 550 wins in his 16 years at Mizzou. Coach Miller was honored last season for his 500th win at Mizzou on Feb. 18 when the Tigers grabbed a 2-1 win over Northern Illinois. Miller registered his 700th career victory against Kansas on Sun., Mar. 31 in Columbia.
It Just Keeps on Getting Better Man
The Tigers have faced six ranked opponents and are 3-6 against those opponents. And the fun has just begun. Mizzou will face three more opponents in 2002 that are currently either ranked in the top 25 or are receiving votes in the latest USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll.
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 while out scoring 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.
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.
Tigers on the Radio
Tiger softball can be heard throughout the rest of season on 1580 KTGR AM.
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.
Tiger Softball Wraps Up 2002 Recruiting Class
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.
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.
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.
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.
