Feb. 12, 2005
Tallahassee, Fla. - The Missouri softball team closed out the Seminole Classic softball tournament with an 11-1 victory over Nicholls State in five innings at the Seminole Softball Complex. With the win, the Tigers improve to 4-0 on the season and return home as tournament champions. Three MU softball players recorded homeruns in the final game of the day, senior Heather Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill.), redshirt freshman Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) and freshman Jen Bruck (St.Peters, Mo.) all added to Mizzou's 10-hit total.
"The team did a great job of taking it pitch-by-pitch today," Head Coach Ty Singleton said. "It didn't matter what the scoreboard read or what the pitch was, they all just improved in each at bat. Everyone really settled in as a hitter in today's games, and I think this is a sign of what's to come this season."
Scoreless through the first inning, Missouri's bats came alive in the bottom of the second inning as Kunkel singled and Hays followed with a triple for two RBI. Up next for the Tigers, leadoff hitter Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.) singled with junior Kendra Power (Kansas City, Mo.) swinging for a double to bring home Bowers. With two outs, Minner stepped up with a single to drive in Power for the fifth run of the inning.
Nicholls State was unable to produce in their turn at bat, bringing up Kunkel who doubled and was brought around the bases by sophomore Alli Kennewell (Eden Prairie, Minn.) for Missouri's only run of the third inning.
Dominating at the plate, Missouri's three homeruns all came in the fourth inning of action. Minner was the first to run the bases with her moonshot over the centerfield fence. With one batter in between, Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.), Kunkel pounded the ball to left center for her ninth career homer. The two bombs and nine hits forced Nicholls State to call in relief pitcher Nichole Wagner who managed the Colonels second out of the inning but provided Bruck with just the right toss for her first collegiate homerun and 11th Missouri run.
Sophomore pitcher Erica Peterson (Irving, Texas) extended her win streak to 3-0 after pitching four innings of MU's win over Nicholls State.
The Tigers will return to Columbia before heading to the Crimson Classic Feb. 18-20, in Tscaloosa, Ala. Teams competing in the three-day tournament include No. 13 Alabama, Maryland and Penn State and Missouri.