May 12, 2005
Oklahoma City, Okla. -- The fifth-seeded Missouri softball team (38-12) battled and fell to fourth-seeded Baylor (46-10), 7-3, in the Tigers' opening game of the Big 12 Conference Softball Tournament at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. The loss to Baylor was the third of the season, and second against the Bears in Big 12 post-season meetings.
Baylor scored six runs, five unearned, in the bottom of the first inning to take a commanding lead over the Tigers. Freshman pitcher Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) started on the mound for MU, but after giving up three runs on three hits, sophomore southpaw Erica Peterson (Irving, Texas) entered the game and tossed five innings of work, striking out three and allowing four runs on five hits. Senior Erin Kalka (Chandler, Okla.) provided relief in the bottom of the sixth, twirling one inning and fanning one batter.
The Tigers scored two runs in the top of the third inning to chip away at Baylor's lead. Sophomore second baseman Sarah Stringer (Auxvasse, Mo.) led off with a triple to left field and advanced home on a sacrifice fly by sophomore centerfielder Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.). The triple was Missouri's first of four hits in the inning and marked Stringer's third triple of the season and Bowers' fourth sacrifice fly. 2-3 on the day, designated player Bruck, ripped a single to left field to reach first and stole second for her fourth swipe of the campaign. Redshirt freshman Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) connected for MU's next hit, a single to right field that bobbled in the hands of Kyle Conroy providing Bruck time to run home. The inning came to a close after freshman first baseman Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.) fouled out to first, bringing up senior outfielder Janessa Roening (Port Angeles, Wash.). Roening singled to right field but was stranded on first after senior shortstop Heather Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill.) grounded out to first base.
Missouri's final run of the game came from Bruck, who launched her 14th moonshot of the season over the center field fence (220) for a trip around the bases.
Missouri will change dugouts and make a quick turnaround for its next game at 2 p.m. against eighth-seeded Oklahoma State (33-21).