April 20, 2008
Austin, Texas-Freshman Rhea Taylor (Buford, Ga.) finished the day 3-of-3 on stolen bases to set a new Missouri single season stolen bases record (48) and help the Tigers to a 4-1 victory over Texas at McCombs Field. Improving to 40-13 on the season, it marks Missouri's third time in five years that the Tigers have won 40 or more games in a season and first Big 12 road win of the campaign. Missouri moves to 7-5 in Big 12 games while the Longhorns fall to 24-17-2 overall and 8-6 in the league.
Junior Stacy Delaney (Freeland, Mich.) made her 24th start of the season in the circle and improved to 16-3 after throwing seven complete innings. Delaney held the Longhorns to only two hits and struck out five on her way to the win.
Taylor opened Missouri's second game against Texas by reaching base for the 47th time from leadoff. Stealing second, her 46th stolen base of the season, Taylor tied the Missouri single season stolen bases record to stand alongside 1988 record holder Julie Link. Taylor scored on cleanup hitter Amanda Renth's (Mascoutah, Ill.) single to center field. Texas turned two on junior Lindsey Ubrun's (Riverside, Calif.) line drive to shortstop Loryn Johnson stranding three-hole hitter Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) on third. Earlier in the inning, Bruck reached base on balls.
Texas tied the game at one on catcher Kacie Gaskin's second inning home run over the left field fence. Missouri was quick to regain the lead scoring two runs on three hits in the top half of the third. Freshman Abby Vock (Morrison, Ill.) was hit by pitch and awarded first base, advancing to second on Taylor's second hit of the day. Both runners advanced on sophomore Julie Silver's (Chesterfield, Mo.) single to right field and Vock scored on Renth's sacrifice fly to left field. Taylor scored Missouri's third run of the game on Ubrun's single to left field.
Finishing the day 4-for-4 at the plate, Taylor reached base on a single in the fifth, stole second, reached third on Silver's single through the right side and scored on her 48th stolen base of the season. Taylor leads the nation in stolen bases and is 13 shy of moving into the top-10 in the Missouri career stolen bases record book. Currently, Wendy Harrison stands in 10th having swiped 61 bags between 1996 and 1999. Link owns the Missouri career stolen bases record at 110.
The Missouri softball team will take on Iowa State in its final midweek doubleheader, Wednesday, April 23, in Ames, Iowa, beginning at 2 p.m. (CT).