March 16, 2003
HOUSTON, Texas-- - The Missouri Tigers finished 3-1 at the Houston Classic after they lost to Boston 8-7 and defeated Houston 5-1 on Sunday in the final day of the tournament.
Kristen Burke had the big hit for Mizzou against Boston, as she connected on a two-run homerun over the left field wall in the fifth inning, giving MU a 4-1 lead. Burke finished the game 2-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored. The homerun was her second of the season.
Boston tied the game with one run in the sixth and two more in the seventh, to send the game to extra innings. The Terriors then put up four runs in the top half of the eighth inning. In Mizzou's half of the eighth, the Tigers scored three runs with Sara Vassmer, Heather Kunkel and Samantha Fleeman picking up RBI.
Vassmer was 2-for-3 with an RBI and Kunkel, Daisy Mettlach and Morgan LeCluyse all recorded hits.
Soon after their first game ended, the Tigers took on Houston and jumped out to a quick lead, scoring three runs in the top of the first inning. After Vassmer singled, Kunkel and Rachael McGinnis had back-to-back homeruns. It was the third homer of the season for Kunkel and number four for McGinnis.
Mizzou added two more runs in the top of the fifth. McGinnis led off with a single and was later driven in on a double by Mettlach. LeCluyse then singled to right field, scoring Mettlach.
McGinnis was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI against the Cougars. Loethen and Schellert also had two hits for Mizzou in the game.
Missouri returns home on Thursday to open Big 12 Conference play against Kansas at 5 p.m. at University Field.