March 20, 2007

Beginning Wednesday, March 21, the Missouri softball team will take to the road for five games in seven days opening with No. 22 Southern Illinois at 3 p.m. (CT) at Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale, Ill. Missouri's seventh ranked opponent of the season, the Tigers lead the Salukis 15-11 in the all-time series, but have lost three of the past four games since 2005. The Salukis own a spotless 5-0 mark at home this season, last winning the March 18 game against Bradley, 2-0. This season, SIU has blanked nine of its opponents.

Following Missouri's single game against the Saluki's, the Tigers will travel to Lubbock, Texas and open Big 12 play against Texas Tech. Two days later, Missouri will play a two-game series with Louisville before returning home to host 11th-ranked Texas in a two-game series beginning Saturday, March 31, on University Field.

Missouri's powerful offense is led by redshirt junior Micaela Minner. Minner owns a .385 batting average and has scored 26 runs while also credited with 28 RBI. In the home run category, junior Amanda Renth has set herelf head and shoulders above her teammates, owning 11 homers, including her fourth career grand slam, on the season. Renth stands behind only one league player, sophomore Samantha Ricketts of Oklahoma who has notched 12 crushes on the season.

Twelve Tigers have combined for Missouri's 32 home runs this season. At this pace, the Tigers are on track to set the second highest home run total in program history, with the highest, 82, set during the 2005 season.