April 2, 2003
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo.-- - Mizzou freshman Samantha Fleeman recorded a no-hitter in the opening game of the a doubleheader against Southeast Missouri State as the Tigers picked up a two-game sweep to improve to 21-13 on the season. MU took 9-0 victories in each game on Wednesday in Cape Girardeau.
After a scoreless first inning, the Tigers got on the board first with four runs in the top of the second inning. Rachael McGinnis lead off the inning with a single. Melanie Fisher, who was playing in just her third game of the season after coming over from the women's basketball season, picked up her first hit on Wednesday with a two-run home run to left field. Jeni Schellert made it back-to-back home runs for Mizzou as she sent a shot over the fence to extend the lead to 3-0. Daisy Mettlach then doubled to center field and was driven in on a single from Kristen Burke.
Missouri continued its power surge in the third inning as the Tigers followed the four-run second inning with a three-run third inning. Rachael McGinnis connected for her eighth home run of the season, a three-run shot to give Mizzou a 7-0 lead.
MU added a run in the fourth, as McGinnis picked up her team-leading 23rd RBI of the season with an RBI single and scored another run in the fifth, as Schellert lead off with a double and was driven in by Sara Vassmer.
Fleeman struck out 10 batters in only the five innings of work to pick up her fifth win of the year. The no-hitter is the first for a Tiger pitcher since Ingrid Werner no-hit Rhode Island last season. McGinnis finished 3-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored in game one. Schellert was also 3-for-3 with a RBI and two runs scored. Daisy Mettlach added two hits for the Tigers in the opening game of the day.
Morgan LeCluyse extended her hitting streak to 13 games with a double in the fourth, but left the game with a injury to her right hand, after she slid headfirst into third base.
Mizzou got things going quickly in game two, connecting for four straight singles, the final one by Schellert drove in Kunkel and McGinnis. Mizzou stretched the lead to five after recording consecutive RBI doubles from Ashley Hays, Kristen Burke and Vassmer, all with two outs in the inning. The Tigers put it away with four runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Werner finished with the three-hit shutout for her fifth win of the year. Fisher continued to make the quick transition to softball season, as she went 3-for-4 in the nightcap. Joanne Loethen was 3-for-5 with two RBI and McGinnis, Schellert and Burke each had two hits in game two. Burke also had four RBI.
Heather Kunkel was 1-for-4 in each of the two games to extend her hitting streak to 10 games.
The Tigers will return home this weekend for two games against Texas. The series will get underway at 2 p.m. on Saturday and conclude at 1 p.m. on Sunday.