Feb. 22, 2007

Columbia, Mo. - After sweeping in-state opponent St. Louis University (SLU) Wednesday night in the Dan Devine Pavilion, the Tiger softball team (8-6) is set to return outdoors, making its first appearance at the Clarion Inn Lady'Back Invitational beginning Friday, Feb. 23, in Fayetteville, Ark. Missouri is one of five teams in a field that features UMKC, Colorado State, Wichita State and host Arkansas. The Tigers will begin play Friday at 9 a.m. (CT) against UMKC at Lady'Back Yard, home to the 4-6 Arkansas softball team.

Missouri's third meeting in nine days with UMKC will mark the Kangaroos (0-2) third game of the season. The Tigers handed UMKC back-to-back losses by run rule, Feb. 14, winning game one, 12-1, and game two, 11-0. All-time, Missouri leads the series, 44-1. In last Wednesday's meeting, eight Tigers averaged above a .300 batting average. As a team, Missouri was 13-for-38 at the plate (.342) with junior Sara Simons (Kearney, Mo.) hitting a three-run home run in the second inning of game two. In the circle, sophomore Megan Dennis (Liberty, Mo.) and freshman Jana Hainey (Raymore, Mo.) both earned wins. The duo combined for 14 strikeouts in the two games, with Dennis holding batters to a .222 average and Hainey's opponents a .100. Missouri's combined ERA on the day, which included a two inning showing by freshman Alaina Jacobson (Crocker, Mo.), was 0.70.

Overall, senior catcher Kathy Materson (St. Louis, Mo.) continues to lead the Tigers with her .500 batting average. 15-for-30 at the plate, Masterson has scored six runs, hitting three triples and three doubles for a .800 slugging percentage.

Redshirt junior Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) continued her dominating ways at the plate, recording her 27th career home run last night against SLU. With the knock, Minner set herself atop the Missouri career home run record book ahead of 1997 graduate Mary Babb. Babb held the record by herself for nine seasons before Minner and junior Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) joined her last season with 26 yard balls.

Missouri's second game on Friday will be against Colorado State at 11:15 a.m. (CT). The Rams are 4-7 on the season having last suffered a loss to UC Davis, 7-3 at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic, Feb. 18. Colorado State is on a two-game losing streak, but has taken wins over Sam Houston State (6-3), North Texas (8-7) and New Mexico State (9-7) and Cal (2-0). The Tigers are down 1-2 in the all-time series with the Rams. The two teams last met in the 2003 season, with Missouri suffering an 8-4 loss at the Troy Cox Invitational.

Following two games on Friday, Missouri will take on Arkansas and Wichita State beginning at 1:30 p.m. (CT). The championship game will e played Sunday at a time still to be determined.