Feb. 13, 2007
Columbia, Mo. - Coming off of a 2-3 finish at the Easton Tiger Classic last weekend, the Missouri softball team is set to open the home portion of its schedule Wednesday, Feb. 14, with a doubleheader against UMKC beginning at 11 a.m. (CT) in the Dan Devine Pavilion. Game two of the series is slated for a 1 p.m. (CT) start. Both games are free and open to the public. The Dan Devine Pavilion is located on Providence Road next to the Mizzou Athletic Training Complex. Fans attending the doubleheader are encouraged to park in the lot located to the west of the football stadium and take the pedestrian bridge across Providence.
The first of 25 Tiger home games this season, Missouri leads UMKC, 42-1, in the all-time series dating back to 1988. The Tigers last played UMKC March 5, 2006, at the Missouri State Spring Classic, scoring a 5-2 win over the Kangaroos. Missouri's only loss to UMKC came in 1997 when the Tigers dropped a 7-5 game. Of Missouri's 42 wins, the Tigers have shutout UMKC on 22 occasions, winning 19 games by eight or more runs.
UMKC opens its season at Missouri on Wednesday under the direction of first year Head Coach Meredith Smith. The Kangaroos were picked to finish seventh in the preseason Mid-Con Preseason Poll and return seven starters to this year's squad. Senior Cori Mead leads the UMKC pitching staff having made 19 starts in 26 appearances in the circle last season. Mead threw 10 complete games, struck out 47 batters and holds a 5.22 ERA.
Senior catcher Kathy Masterson (St. Louis, Mo.) leads the Tigers with a .583 batting average and .917 slugging percentage. Named to the Easton Tiger Classic All-Tournament team, Masterson was 7-for-12 at the plate hitting two doubles and a leadoff triple. Four Tiger pitchers saw time in the circle last weekend with freshman Jana Hainey (Raymore, Mo.) making three starts. Missouri's staff struck out 22 batters in 33 innings.
Following Missouri's Feb. 14 doubleheader, the Tigers head back to the road for the Stanford Invitational, Feb. 16-18, in Stanford, Calif. One of four teams competing for the tournament title, the Tigers will open the three-day event with a 2 p.m. (CT) game against Pacific followed with a 6 p.m. (CT) game against No. 12 Stanford. Missouri will take on Santa Clara at Noon on Feb. 17.