Feb. 27, 2008
Columbia, Mo. -The Missouri softball team opened the home portion of its schedule with back-to-back wins over in-state opponent Saint Louis. Playing in the Dan Devine Pavilion, Missouri bested the Bilikens, 10-6 and 6-0, making for the Tigers' first sweep of the 2008 campaign. Three Tigers, seniors Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, Ill.) and Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) along with junior Lindsey Ubrun (Riverside, Calif.) hit home runs, accounting for five of the Tigers 16 runs on the evening.
Missouri junior Stacy Delaney (Freeland, Mich.) was credited with the Tiger's first no hitter of the season. Throwing five innings of work, Delaney struck out seven Bilikens and forced four ground outs and three fly outs during her time in the circle. Delaney improves to 4-2 on the season after hurling her fifth complete game and third solo shutout of the campaign. Missouri's defense backed up Delaney, recording its sixth error-free game of the year.
Bruck collected her second win of the season after starting game two against Saint Louis. Twirling four innings, Bruck struck out four batters but allowed four hits. Sophomore Jana Hainey (Raymore, Mo.) entered the game in the top of the fifth inning, her fourth game of the year entering in relief, and struck out five of the 11 Bilikens she faced. Altogether, Missouri's pitching staff held Saint Louis to a .125 batting average.
Ubrun, Missouri's first baseman, proved the Tiger's big hitter of the two-game series. Averaging .600 in the doubleheader, Ubrun scored three ones and was credited with five RBI. Her home run, a game two, first inning, two out shot, drove in Missouri's second and third runs of the game, while her first inning single in game also pushed across the Tiger's second and third runs of the game.
Returning to the plate after a six game absence due to injury, Renth crushed her second home run of the season in her final plate appearance of game one. With a runner on first, Ubrun, Renth's 25th career home run sealed Missouri's win over Saint Louis in five innings.
Bruck currently leads her Tiger teammates with four home runs this season. Sitting atop the Missouri career home run record book with 37 homers, Bruck has now distanced herself from Missouri's second place home run hitter by five yard balls.
Missouri will travel to Saint Louis for two more games against the Bilikens, Wednesday, April 9 beginning at 4:30 p.m. (CT) in Saint Louis.
The Tigers will host the Tiger Invitational beginning Friday, Feb. 29 at 1 p.m. (CT) on University Field. South Dakota State and Boston University will travel to Columbia to compete in the three-day tournament. Please check back to www.mutigers.com for any updates on venue changes.