Missouri
#3 Oklahoma
Missouri Takes Down Second-Ranked Sooners, 5-1
4/15/2007 12:00:00 AM | Softball
April 15, 2007
Columbia, Mo. - Making up yesterday's rain-delayed game against second-ranked Oklahoma (42-5, 7-3), the Missouri softball team improved to 30-17 on the season and 6-0 in Big 12 play after besting the Sooners, 5-1, on University Field. All five of Missouri's runs were scored by way of the long ball, with freshman Julie Silver (Chesterfield, Mo.) and redshirt junior Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas) each hitting two run home runs, while junior Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) crushed a solo knock in the bottom of the fourth frame.
The Tigers tallied six hits on the day and crushed three home runs off of Oklahoma ace Lauren Eckerman. Eckerman, who entered the game with a 1.37 ERA and 26-1 record, was credited with her first loss since falling to Texas, 5-4, in 10 innings March 25, in Austin, Texas.
Bruck, now 14-4 on the season, threw her eighth complete game of the year and has collected all six of Missouri's Big 12 wins. In conference games, Bruck owns a 0.88 ERA and has struck out 37 batters in 39.2 innings of work.
Oklahoma struck first scoring an unearned run in the first inning of action. Leadoff batter Norelle Dickson made her way to second on a throwing error by Bruck, scoring on designated player Susan Ogden's single to left field.
Not to be shown up, Missouri came back with Silver's two run homer, her third of the campaign and first in Big 12 play. Silver's home run drove in leadoff batter senior Leanne Bowers (Arnold, Mo.) who had reached base on balls.
Minner's sixth home run of the season gave Missouri a three-run lead after three innings. Blasting the ball to center field, Minner drove in Silver, who laid down a bunt single in her second appearance at the plate. Silver finished the day 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBI and two runs.
The 5-1 victory helped the Tigers to their first 30-win season in two years and tied the squad's longest win streak of the campaign at eight. Missouri's six straight conference wins is also the second longest in league history, the most wins, eight straight, coming in 1997.
Game two of today's doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m.
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