Feb. 18, 2005

Box Score

Tuscaloosa, Ala. - The Missouri softball team improved to 5-0 on the season after wearing down Maryland in the first game of the Crimson Classic in the Alabama Softball Complex in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Two Tigers homered on the day, sophomore Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.) and redshirt freshman Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) and freshman pitcher Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) recorded her second win of the season.

Down one run entering the top of the third, the Tigers tied the game when sophomore catcher Kathy Masterson (St. Louis, Mo.) scored on a single by Bowers. Masterson opened the inning with a triple to centerfield.

Redshirt freshman Minner came through with her third homer of the season in the top of the fifth inning. With two outs on the board, Minner pounded the ball over the left field fence, driving in sophomores A.J. White (Tallmadge, Ohio) and Sarah Stringer (Auxvasse, Mo.) for MU's first lead of the game. Both White and Stringer singled ahead of Minner's blast.

With one out on the board and freshman Amy Henke (Florissant, Mo.) pinch running for White at first, Bowers smashed her first homer of the season in the top of the seventh inning giving Missouri a five-run lead. White walked to reach first base.

Bruck, a righty, completed five innings of work for Missouri fanning nine batters of 19 faced. Between the second and third innings, Bruck mowed down six of the eight batters she faced. Currently, Bruck owns a 1.56 ERA. Relief pitcher Erica Peterson (Irving, Texas) entered the game in the sixth inning, striking out four to give her 27 on the season. Peterson struck out three straight batters in the sixth, all went down swinging.

The Tigers will face Penn State in a 4 p.m. (CT) game in the Alabama Softball Complex. Both live results and Gametracker will be available at www.rolltide.com.