March 2, 2007

Columbia, Mo. - The Missouri softball team will put its eight-game win streak on the line Friday night when they take on No. 2 Arizona at 8 p.m. (CT) at the Rita Hillenbrand Memorial Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. Missouri is 14-6 on the season and finished last weekend with the Clarion Inn Lady'Back Invitational tournament title.

Arizona, the 2006 defending National Champions, is 11-3 on the season, having taken three wins over three top-20 opponents. Missouri is down 6-1 to the Wildcats, having last met with Head Coach Mike Candrea's team last season at the Worth Wildcat Invitational. Missouri went 2-3 at the three-day tournament, opening with a 4-0 loss to Arizona. Missouri pitcher Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) was credited with the loss, but held the Wildcats to only four hits.

Having cancelled Wednesday's game with Evansville due to poor field conditions, the Tigers are anxious to return to action. As a team, the Tigers are batting .314 on the season with senior catcher Kathy Masterson (St. Louis, Mo.) still leading her teammates with a .390 average. Masterson is 16-for-41 at the plate having hit three doubles and three triples. Junior Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.) leads the Tiger in RBI with 19. Renth collected 10 of her 19 RBI at the Clarion Inn Lady'Back Invitational last weekend, hitting two home runs for .

The Tigers have stolen 51 bags this season, 10 more than then Missouri's total from one year ago and good for second in the Big 12 Conference (Baylor leads with 52)