April 3, 2005
Columbia, Mo. -- The ninth-ranked Oklahoma Sooner softball team handed No. 16 Missouri its first sweep of the season after holding off the Tigers, 6-4, on University Field. After suffering back-to-back losses, Missouri falls to 27-6 on the season and 1-3 in Big 12 action, while Oklahoma improves to 36-6 and 4-0. Two Tigers smashed homers in Missouri's Sunday afternoon game, senior Heather Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill.) and junior Janessa Roening (Port Angeles, Wash.) both went yard in the second and third innings, respectively.
Scoreless through the first inning of play, Oklahoma earned six runs off of four hits in the top of the second to gain a lead the Tigers could never overcome. Senior MU pitcher Erin Kalka (Chandler, Okla.) tossed five complete innings, allowing six runs off of six hits before being relieved by sophomore lefty Erica Peterson in the sixth. Peterson struckout two and allowed only one hit.
Missouri returned in the bottom of the second inning with a one-out solo shot over the centerfield fence by Kunkel. It was the shortstop's ninth blast of the season and 17th of her career. The yard ball ties Kunkel with 1996 graduate Karen Persinger for fourth on the MU career home run chart and sixth with Linda Swarts and Tiffany Heick for the most Tiger homers in a season.
Three Tigers scored runs in the bottom of the third inning to help close the gap on Oklahoma. Sophomore leadoff hitter Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.) out ran a ground ball to second to reach first and rounded the bases off of a homer to right center by Roening. The bomb was Roening's fourth of the season.
Up next for Missouri, redshirt freshman Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) ripped a single to centerfield bringing up freshman designated player Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.) who walked to first, allowing junior Joanne Loethen (St. Thomas, Mo.) to enter as pinch runner. After giving up five hits, the Sooners opted to pull right-handed pitcher Stacy Braddock in favor of senior All-American Kami Keiter. Swatting her second hit of the game, Kunkel singled up the middle to load the bases. Keiter managed to shutdown sophomore catcher Kathy Masterson (St. Louis,Mo.) but gave up four balls to junior Kendra Power (Kansas City, Mo.) to walk in Missouri's fourth run of the game. With the bases still loaded senior Ashley Hays (Swinkey, Mo.) and sophomore Sarah Stringer (Auxvasse, Mo.) popped out and struckout swinging, respectively to close the inning.
"This team has a lot of character," Head Coach Ty Singleton said. "I know they will fight through this and come back strong in our upcoming series with Iowa State. They're determined and dedicated student-athletes and they expect more of themselves and of the team than what they showed on the field yesterday and today."
The Tigers will resume Big 12 action with a Wednesday afternoon doubleheader against Iowa State slated to begin at 2 p.m. (CT) on University Field. Game two is expected to open at 4 p.m.