Missouri
Baylor
Tigers Advance to Big 12 Softball Championship Game
5/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Softball
May 14, 2005
Final Stats
Oklahoma City, Okla. -- Playing back-to-back games against fourth-seeded Baylor (47-12), the fifth-seeded Missouri softball team (42-12) advanced to the Big 12 Championship game for the second straight year after winning a 10-4 victory in eight innings at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Championship game against No. 7 Texas will air live at 3:30 p.m. (CT) on Fox Sports.
Tied at four runs entering the eighth, the Tigers scored six runs on five hits to win the game and split the tournament tie with Baylor to play into the Championship game. The Tigers are now 5-3 in extra inning games.
After suffering its worst loss of the season in the first game of the day, Baylor jumped to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, scoring two runs against Missouri starting pitcher Erin Kalka (Chandler, Okla.) Kalka twirled three innings in game two against Baylor, allowing four runs off seven hits, before sophomore Erica Peterson (Irving, Texas) made her way to the circle in the fourth and was credited with her 17th win of the season after holding the Bears to only one hit in five innings.
Keeping things interested for the fans, the Tigers answered Baylor's lead with two runs in the top of the third. Sophomore Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.) knocked a one-out single to the hole in right center to reach first, but remained on base while designated player Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) struck out swinging. Baylor pitcher Tessa Lynam struggled with the strike zone for two MU at-bats, walking redshirt freshman Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) and freshman Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.) to load the bases. A clutch player, junior outfielder Janessa Roening (Port Angeles, Wash.), came through for Missouri punching a two-out single to right field that sent Tiger base runners Bowers and Minner home, placing Renth in scoring position from third while Roening made her way to second on the throw to the infield. Both Renth and Roening were stranded on base when senior shortstop Heather Kunkel (Oak Forest, Ill.) when down swinging.
The Bears pulled ahead scoring two runs in the bottom of the third inning. Kalka gave up back-to-back doubles to drive in the third run of the game, while Baylor's second runner of the inning advanced home from third on a wild pitch.
Two hours into the game and two outs into the top of the fifth inning, the Tigers pulled even with the Bears for the second time of the game. Renth drove a single to right field to reach first and ran to third as Roening powered her second double of the tournament deep to center field. BU infielder Carrie Leerberg botched the catch from the outfield sending Renth home for Missouri's third run. Entering the game at catcher, sophomore Alyson Tobyne (Gilbert, Ariz.) swatted a single and advanced to second on the throw giving Roening the time needed to run home. Baylor lefty Cristin Vitek entered the game in relief and helped close down the inning when junior Kendra Power (Kansas City, Mo.) grounded out.
BU Head Coach Glenn Moore went to his bullpen for the third time of the game after Vitek gave up back-to-back hits in the eighth inning. Power opened the top of the eighth with a leadoff single to centerfield, bringing up sophomore second baseman Sarah Stringer (Auxvasse, Mo.) who popped to center. Returning to the top of the order, Bowers, 3-of-5, singled and made her way to first while Moore brought in pitcher Lisa Ferguson in attempt to save the game. Instead, sophomore designated player Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) came up and reached first on an error by the shortstop that sent Power around third and eventually home for the go-ahead run. Bowers, Bruck, Loethen, Roening and Kunkel all scored.
This is the second straight year that the Tigers have advanced to the Big 12 softball tournament championship game. Last year, Missouri fell 1-0 to Nebraska. Missouri's 42nd win marks only the sixth time in the 30-year history of the program that the Tigers have won more than 41 games in a season.
