Feb. 16, 2008
Las Vegas, Nev. -The Missouri softball team improved to 5-4 on the season after recording back-to-back wins over Cal Davis and Cal Poly in the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas, Nev. Beginning the second day of competition with a 7-1 win over UC Davis, the Tigers went on to take an 8-3 victory over Cal Poly. Missouri will play its final game of the three-day tournament against Portland State, Sunday, Feb. 17, at 1:15 p.m. (CT).
Sophomore Jana Hainey (Raymore, Mo.) earned her third win of the season after throwing a complete game against UC Davis. Allowing only one run, Hainey struck out five Aggies, forcing eight groundouts and seven flyouts during her time in the circle. Hainey allowed only two UC Davis players to reach scoring position, and gave up her second home run of the season, a fifth inning solo shot by designated hitter Sarah O'Neill.
Missouri senior Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) hit two, two run home runs off of UC Davis pitcher Jessica Hancock. With the Tigers already out to a one run lead, freshman Rhea Taylor (Buford, Ga.) scored on freshman Kathryn Poet's (Tujunga, Calif.) double in the first inning, Bruck crushed a one out, two run home run in the third inning and followed with a two out, two run home run in the sixth inning. Between Missouri's two night games, Bruck finished 4-for-6 at the plate with a double, three home runs, seven RBI and a 2.333 slugging percentage. Bruck's third home run of the night came in the first inning of the Tiger's game against Cal Poly. Bruck's one run, two out yard ball in game two, was her 36th career home run. Bruck currently leads the Missouri career home run record book by four home runs.
Throwing 5.2 innings in Missouri's game against Cal Poly, Bruck collected her first win of the season, striking out two and forcing eight groundouts. Junior Stacy Delaney (Freeland, Mich.) entered the game in relief and threw 1.1 innings of work, striking out two, and holding the Mustangs hitless.
Poet, who finished the day 4-for-7 with three RBI, scored four of Missouri's 15 runs on the day. Batting from the two hole against UC Davis, Poet went 3-for-4 and reached base in each of her at bats.
By the end of the evening, Missouri had totaled 15 runs on 12 hits, notching a season high eight hits in the Tiger's game against Cal Poly.