Feb. 16, 2006
Ranked No. 18 in the nation, the Missouri softball team will travel to Tucson, Ariz., for the Worth Wildcat Invitational held at Renita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium beginning Friday, Feb. 17. The Tigers will play five games and open against No. 3 Arizona at 7 p.m. (CST), Friday evening. Immediately following the Arizona matchup, Missouri will take on North Carolina State, with games against Pacific and Big 12 opponent Texas Tech slated for Saturday and a final game against Tennessee Tech scheduled for Sunday at Noon.
Missouri is 1-5 all-time against the Wildcats of Arizona, finding their only win in 1984 (1-0) at the Sooner Invitational in Norman, Okla. The last meeting between the two schools came during the 2004 campaign, and the Wildcats swept Missouri (5-0, 3-2) in Tucson. Currently, Arizona is ranked No. 3 in the nation, and represents Missouri's highest ranked opponent in two years. Arizona ace Alicia Hollowell, recently tabbed USA Softball Player of the Week, is the expected starter in Friday night's game.
Games against North Carolina State and Tennessee Tech will be firsts for the Tigers. Over the years, Missouri has notched a 13-4 record against ACC opponents and is 32-9 against the Ohio Valley Conference. The 2004 season marked Missouri's last meeting with Pacific. Currently down 1-3 all-time to the Tigers, Pacific enters the Invitational looking to stop a two-game losing streak (2-2).
Traveling 1,519 miles West, Missouri will see familiar competition in Big 12 opponent Texas Tech. The Red Raiders were picked to finish eighth in the league and own a 2-4 record this season. Missouri holds the upper hand over the Red Raiders, winning five of the six last games.
Missouri enters the Invitational with a 2-1 record after finishing a three-game series against No. 24 Georgia Tech in Atlanta last weekend. For her efforts at the plate and in the field, sophomore first baseman Amanda Renth was named co-Big 12 Player of the Week, Feb. 14. Renth was one of five Tigers to combine for seven home runs in the series, hitting two in Missouri's second game against the Yellow Jackets.