March 18, 2007
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The Missouri softball team used four fifth inning home runs, including three in a row, to propel the squad to a 10-8 win over Western Illinois in the Tiger Invitational Sunday afternoon at University Field. The Tigers (22-15) got consecutive home runs from juniors Amanda Renth, Micaela Minner and Jen Bruck and a grand slam by Renth later in the inning to post eight runs on the Westerwinds (7-15) in one frame.
Entering the bottom of the fifth down 5-2, Renth cut the Missouri deficit to two with a blast over the left center field wall. Minner and Bruck followed Renth's shot with home runs of their own into right center to tie the game at 5-5 and took a one run lead when freshman Julie Silver was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. With the bases still full, Renth lined a rope over the wall in left center for her 11th home run of the season and a 10-5 Tiger advantage.
Western Illinois put together a rally in the top of the seventh with successive singles to open the inning. A sacrifice fly to leftfield brought the Westerwinds within four and a two-out double by Erin Schlotfeldt added another run for Western Illinois. The Westerwinds added another run off an error and a single by Britt Mason brought the go-ahead run to the plate but freshman Alana Jacobson got Lindsey Hession to fly out to leftfield for a 10-8 final.
Freshman hurler Jana Hainey improved to 9-3 on the year after relieving sophomore Megan Dennis in the third inning.
The Westerwinds built a 4-0 lead after one-half inning of play on a three-run home run and an error. The Tigers picked up one run when Renth singled to score senior Leanne Bowers in the third and both squads traded runs in the fourth inning to enter the fifth with Western Illinois on top 5-2.
Mizzou closes out play in the Tiger Invitational with a contest against No. 7 Northwestern Sunday afternoon.