April 10, 2005
Final Stats
Columbia, Mo. -- Playing on Rocky Johnson Field with wind gusts up to 60 mph, the 17th-ranked Missouri softball team completed a two-game sweep of Texas Tech, after winning 3-1 in Lubbock, Texas. With the victory, the Tigers improved to 31-6 on the season and 5-3 in Big 12 Conference action, while Texas Tech dropped to 22-13 and 2-4.
The Tigers jumped to an early lead in the top of the first inning when junior Janesa Roening (Port Angeles, Wash.) smacked a one-out single to left field. Up next for Missouri, power hitter Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) knocked a single up the middle and advanced to second on the throw from the field, allowing Roening to take third. Freshman first baseman Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.) punched MU's third consecutive hit of the inning with a single to right field that drove in Roening for the first run of the game. With runners on the corners, senior Heather Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill.) and sophomore Kathy Masterson (St. Louis, Mo.) both went down swinging on pitches from Texas Tech pitcher Erin Crawford.
Adding two runs in the top of the fifth, leadoff hitter Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) singled up the middle to open the inning. Sophomore Kendra Power (Kansas City, Mo.) was up next, but struck out looking to bring up sophomore second baseman Sarah Stringer (Auxvasse, Mo.). Stringer took first on a single and second on the throw, while Bruck advanced to third. Texas Tech was forced to bring in right handed pitcher Julie Hauk after Crawford gave up two runs on seven hits. Sophomore Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.) offered up her second sacrifice of the season to centerfield driving in Bruck for MU run number two. 3-4 on the day, Roening stepped in with a huge two-out double to left field to score Stringer from second. The inning came to a close after Minner walked and Renth flew out to center field.
The Red Raiders were held to three hits on the day, one coming in the form of a home run by right fielder Whitney Riley in the bottom of the fifth inning. Senior pitcher Erin Kalka (Chandler, Okla.) secured her fourth win of the season after tossing her second complete game of the year. Currently 4-3, Kalka added five strikeouts bringing her season strikeout total to 46.
Missouri's defense played strong in the field today, stranding six Red Raiders on base and turning two doubleplays. From her work at shortstop, Kunkel notched six assists to her career total of 354.
The Tigers will face off with Border Showdown Rival Kansas in a Wednesday, April 13, game at 6 p.m., (CT) at home on University Field. Presented by Midwest Ford Dealers, the Tigers and Jayhawks will split their two-game series playing the first game at University Field and second, May 4 at 5 p.m., in Arrocha Park of Lawrence, Kan.