March 16, 2007
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The University of Missouri softball team (20-14) split opening games of the Tiger Invitational on Friday at University Field in Columbia. The Tigers opened the day with a 20-5 win in six innings over Columbia College (6-8), then dropped a 8-0 decision to No. 7 Northwestern (17-5) in front of 1,024 fans. In the opening game versus Columbia College, sophomore Megan Dennis recorded a complete game win to go to 8-2 on the season.
GAME ONE vs. Columbia College
Mizzou hit four home runs, including a grand slam, in defeating Columbia College 20-5 in six innings. Among the notable performances in the Tigers 22-hit game was sophomore Andee Allen (Barnhart, Mo.) who went 4-for-4 in the game with four RBI.
Sophomore Megan Dennis (Liberty, Mo.) advanced her record to 8-2 with a complete game victory on the mound, striking out five with three earned runs. The Cougars' Meghan Bailey was credited with the loss.
The Tigers first jumped on the board with a two-run home run by Freshman Juile Silver (Chesterfield, Mo.) who recorded the first of her career with the base-clearer.
Senior A.J. White (Tallmadge, Ohio) hit a grand slam line-drive down the left-field foul line to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead. It was White's first home run of the season.
Freshman Meredith Nash (Peculiar, Mo.) recorded the first home run of her collegiate career in the second with a two-run knock. Nash went on to go 3-for-4 in the game with three RBI.
Senior Allison Kennewell (Eden Prarie, Minn.) hit her first home run of the season in the sixth.
GAME TWO vs. No. 7 Northwestern
The Tigers dropped the nightcap with No. 7 Northwestern, 8-0, in front of 1,024 fans.
The Wildcats jumped on the board in the first inning as Garland Cooper hit a home run (9) to left field to also score Katie Logan to go ahead 2-0.
Northwestern added three more in the top of the third, spurred by a two-run double by Erin Dyer, to go up 5-0.
The Tigers' Silver had a double in the third, but was left on. The Tigers threatened in the fourth as Minner led off the inning with a bloop single to centerfield. Kathy Masterson was hit by a pitch to put two on, but the Wildcats got out of the inning.
Mizzou's Jen Bruck (6-3) pitched five innings and struck out four with the loss. Jana Hainey pitched the sixth and struck out a batter for the Tigers. Northwestern was led on the mound by Lauren Delaney (8-0) who pitched a six-inning, complete game three-hit shutout, tallying eight strikeouts.
The Tiger Invitational will continue Saturday and Sunday at University Field. Mizzou will play Western Illinois Saturday at 3:45 p.m. with a rematch with Northwestern to occur at 6 p.m.
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