Missouri
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Kansas
Missouri Softball Takes Win over Kansas
4/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 7, 2004
Columbia, Mo. - The Missouri softball team found its second straight shutout over a Big 12 Conference opponent in Wednesday night's 7-0 victory over Kansas. With homeruns by junior Heather Kunkel and sophomore Kendra Power the Tigers added one-and-a-half points to the Border War Competition and improve to 18-19 on the season (5-0 in the Big 12 Conference).
Starting strong in the first inning of action, freshman Leanne Bowers hit a single up the center to make her way to first base. After advancing to second, Bowers took her 16th steal of the season, easily finding her way to third with Kunkel then entering the box for Missouri. A throwing error by Kansas third base player Sandy Smith allowed Kunkel a base and brought in the Tigers' first run of the game (Bowers).
Missouri's third inning would provide the most runs of the game with Bowers, junior Ashley Hays and freshman Alli Kennewell all touching home plate. Earning three RBI on the night, sophomore Joanne Loethen drove in all three women, pounding a double to the hole in centerfield. The hit was Loethen's 11th in a nine game hitting streak that dates back to March 22, against Oregon.
The excitement continued for Missouri as Hays scored the Tigers' fifth run in the fourth inning, followed with homeruns by Kunkel and Power in the fifth and sixth, respectively. Already having faced Kansas' secondary pitcher Kassie Humphrey's in the third inning, Kunkel was able to find exactly what she needed to rip the ball clear over the centerfield fence (220 feet) and score her second homerun of the season.
Right-handed Kansas pitcher Serena Settlemeir entered the game in the sixth inning and in her first at-bat of the night, Power took her second homerun of the season, hitting a long ball over the left field fence (190 feet).
"There's always a lot of emotion going into the Kansas game," head coach Ty Singleton said. "I told the team before they went out that they needed to go into routine mode, stay in the moment and keep thing simple. I'm really proud of the way they were able to stay focused and play such an amazing game."
Up on the mound, Big 12 Pitcher of the week Erin Kalka added to her string of wins, improving to 14-11 on the season with a 1.82 ERA. Now at eight shutouts on the season, Kalka has five consecutive wins to her name, the first coming against Texas on March 27 (3-0). Adding 11 strikeouts to her total, Kalka has a career-total of 542 strikeouts and jumped to fourth on Missouri's All-Time Career Strikeout Chart. With 14 games left in the regular season, Kalka has already surpassed her 2003 season strikeout total of 202 and is tied at eighth with current assistant coach Barb Riti on the Missouri Season Strikeout Chart with 203.
The Tigers will return to Big 12 play Saturday, April 10 in a doubleheader against No. 17 Oklahoma. Playing in Norman, Okla., game one is set to start at noon with game two following at 2 p.m.
