March 13, 2005
Columbia, Mo. - The No. 21 Missouri softball team completed its first home sweep of the season after drilling Drake, 11-2, in five innings on University Field. Now 20-2 on the season, the Tigers improve to 17-3 in the all-time series with the Bulldogs after handing them 10-2 and 7-2 losses in yesterday's doubleheader. Freshman pitcher Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) had a stellar day at the plate, crushing a home run and grand slam in the first inning, her fourth and fifth career moonshots, respectively and second grand slam of the season. By the close of the game, Missouri added three homers to their growing season total (30).
In the first inning alone, the Tigers blasted eight hits and scored 10 runs for an early lead. Missouri lit up right-handed Bulldog pitcher Jessica Hicks with three straight hits from leadoff hitter Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.), Bruck and redshirt freshman Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas). After a quick pop-out by freshman Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.), junior Janessa Roening (Port Angeles, Wash.) stepped up and pounded her second homer of the season to the A.L. Gustin Golf Course putting green located across the street and behind the right field fence. Senior Heather Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill.), and sophomore A.J. White (Tallmadge, Ohio) followed Roening with singles, bringing up sophomore catcher Kathy Materson who ripped her third double of the season to advance both runners home. An error by Drake outfielder Jenna Wilkin advanced Masterson to third and placed sophomore Kendra Power (Kansas City, Mo.) on second which brought up the top of the order. With only one out on the board, Bowers walked to first bringing up Bruck who cleared the bases with her fifth career home run.
"It was really fun to watch the team perform today," Head Coach Ty Singleton said. "They went out there a lot more focused and relaxed and really just drove the ball all over the park."
The Tigers scored their final run of the game in the bottom of the second inning after White reached first on a fielder's choice and Masterson brought her home with her second double of the game.
Bruck earned her 10th win of the season on the mound after tossing three innings or work and striking out four batters. Sophomore Erica Peterson (Irving, Texas) entered the game in the fourth inning to help shutdown the Bulldogs offense and fanned four batters, allowing only two hits.
Today's win gives the Tigers their 11th straight victory of the 2005 campaign, a streak that hasn't been matched since the 1996 season in which Missouri won 12 straight games from April 16 through May 4.
Missouri will face instate opponent Southwest Missouri State (SMS) this Tuesday, March 15, at home on University Field at 4 p.m. The pairing will be the second of the season as Missouri shutout SMS March 5, 8-0, in five innings at the Coaches Against Cancer tournament in Kansas City, Mo.