March 15, 2006
Columbia, Mo. - After securing an 8-3 victory over Northern Iowa (7-12-1) in game one of a doubleheader, Missouri improved to 14-8 on the season, while Tiger pitcher Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) earned her 13th victory of the campaign. The Tigers put up six runs in the bottom of the third frame and notched eight runs on eight hits to win the game.
Scoreless through two innings, the Tigers came up with six runs on five hits and one Panther error for the lead. Freshman designated player Gina Schneider (Liberty, Mo.) led off with a single to right field and fellow newcomer Andee Allen (Barnhart, Mo.) singled up the middle advancing Schneider to second. Junior second baseman Sarah Stringer (Auxvasse, Mo.) loaded the bases on Missouri's third straight hit. Losing control of her pitch to junior outfielder Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.), Uju Ibekwe helped Schneider in for Missouri's first run of the game while advancing Missouri's runners around the bases. Bowers reached first on an error by shortstop Rachael Rogers and Allen scored for the Tigers. Hitting from the two-hole, senior outfielder Janessa Roening (Port Angeles, Wash.) reached first on a fielder's choice in which Bowers was tagged out at second. Next at the plate Bruck ripped a triple to right center for two RBI. Cleanup hitter redshirt sophomore Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) crushed her sixth homer of the season, this one over the wall in right field, to drive in the final two Tiger runs of the inning. With the blast, her 23rd, Minner now stands tied for fourth in the Missouri career home run record book with Tiffany Heick (1992-95). The inning came to an end on back-to-back flyouts.
Northern Iowa scored two runs in the top of the fourth inning and one in the sixth but was unable to overcome Missouri's dominating lead.
Bruck twirled four complete innings striking out six before freshman Megan Dennis (Liberty, Mo.) entered in relief in the bottom of the fifth.
Game two of the doubleheader against Northern Iowa will begin at approximately 6:10 p.m. Live stats will be available on Gametracker at www.mutigers.com.