Feb. 19, 2005
Tuscaloosa, Ala. - In a battle between two unbeaten teams, Missouri came out on top, 6-1, over No. 6 Alabama in the Crimson Classic at the Alabama Softball Complex of Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Tigers improved to 7-0 on the season and sophomore pitcher Erica Peterson (Irving, Texas) was credited with her fourth win of the campaign.
Missouri became the first team of the season to lead No. 6 Alabama, and the first to hold off the Crimson Tide at home in regular season action since Alabama lost to Georgia, 6-5, on May 1, 2004. By the end of the game, Missouri totaled 13 hits, tying the Crimson Classic tournament record.
Designated the visiting team, MU scored early in the first inning, when redshirt freshman Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) crushed the ball over the left field fence for her fourth homer of the season and second of the tournament. The yard ball brought sophomore Sarah Stringer (Auxvase, Mo.) around to score after she reached first on a fielder's choice one play prior. Only two weeks into her first season, Minner is one homer away from cracking into the Missouri season record book for homeruns. Currently, three MU players are tied at 10th with five homers, the most recent (Heather Kunkel and Daisy Metlach), coming in 2003.
The Tigers lit up right-handed UA pitcher Stephanie VanBrakle with seven hits, five runs and four errors in 2.1 innings of work. Missouri ripped five doubles, four to deep left field, off of VanBrakle. Alabama brought in righty Jennifer Wright in the third inning, who gave up six hits, one run and one error.
Back to work in the second inning, sophomore catcher Kathy Masterson (St. Louis, Mo.) was hit by pitch and advanced to second off of a single by sophomore A.J. White (Tallmadge, Ohio). Returning to the top of the order, sophomore Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.) punched her first double of the season through a hole in left center scoring Masterson and advancing White to third. The Tigers then went back-to-back with doubles when Stringer drilled a one-out hit that brought home White.
Opening the third inning, freshman designated hitter Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) pounded a stand up double in her second at bat. Bruck was one of four MU batters to tally two hits in the game, while White led the team with three. Bruck advanced to third on Heather Kunkel's (Oak Forest, Ill.) fielder's choice and scored on Masterson first double of the tournament. The inning came to a close as junior third baseman Kendra Power (Kansas City, Mo.) and Bowers struck out.
Alabama scored its only run of the game in the bottom of the third inning when Jackie Wilkins homered to left field.
Missouri' quickly answered in the top of the fourth inning as Stringer scored on a bases loaded fielder's choice. Stringer reached base on a walk and advanced to second on a single by Minner to right field. Taking third on a fielder's choice that put freshman Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill,) on first and tagged Minner out at second, Bruck walked to load the bases and Kunkel grounded to first to score Stringer.
Playing strong defense, Masterson had a heroic save in the bottom of the fifth to help prevent Alabama from scoring. With a two-out count, Masterson made a diving save for a foul ball to close the inning and hold the Tide to only three hits.
On the mound, Peterson struck out four batters, allowing only five hits in seven innings of work.
The win marked Missouri's third win over a top-10 team this season.