April 6, 2005
Columbia, Mo. - Battling back from a three-game losing streak, the No. 17 Missouri softball team swept Big 12 opponent Iowa State, 9-1 and 11-1, in today's doubleheader on University Field. After run-ruling the Cyclones in back-to-back games, the Tigers improved to 29-6 on the season and 3-3 in league play, while Iowa State falls to 12-20 and 0-5.
Altogether, the Tigers combined for 17 hits, including seven home runs, throughout the course of the doubleheader. Senior shortstop Heather Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill.) went yard three times on the day, clearing two shots over the fence in Missouri's first game of the afternoon. To date, Kunkel has pounded 12 homers this season and 19 in her four year career with the Tigers. Kunkel stands fourth in the MU career home run record book and is tied with redshirt freshman Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) for second on the MU season home run chart.
Third in the batting order for both games, Minner stepped up with a two-out bomb to right center in the first inning of game one and followed with a two-out shot to centerfield in the first inning of game two to put MU's first run of each battle on the board. Minner was 2-3 in the series with the Cyclones and was intentionally walked twice in game two by ISU pitchers Alyssa Ransom and Katie Reichling.
Sophomore catcher Kathy Masterson (St. Louis, Mo.) and freshman Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.) each ripped their fourth home run of the season in the second game on University Field. With two out and two on, Renth made her second plate appearance of the fourth inning and smoked the ball over the left field fence to drive in the final three runs in MU's 11-1 victory over Iowa State. Earlier that same inning, Masterson cleared a solo shot over the left field fence.
"It was really fun to watch this team go out there and play the way they did today," Head Coach Ty Singleton said. "We had a great approach entering both of the games today and it was made apparent by the performance each of those girls turned out on the field and at the plate."
Connecting on five assists from her time at shortstop, Kunkel jumped to number eight in the career MU assist record book, totaling 345 in four years.
Missouri senior Erin Kalka improved to 2-3 on the season after winning the first of two games against ISU. Kalka tossed 5.1 innings of work and struckout nine batters while allowing only three hits. Freshman Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) earned her 13th win of the season after twirling 4.0 innings in MU's second game against the Cyclones. Bruck struckout two and allowed only one hit.
The Tigers will travel to Lubbock, Texas, for a two-game series against the Texas Tech Red Raiders beginning Saturday, April 9, at 2 p.m. (CT) on Rocky Johnson Field and wrap up Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. (CT).