April 5, 2008
Norman, Okla. -Taking on their third Big 12 opponent of the season, the Missouri softball team (33-11) fell to 11th-ranked Oklahoma, 7-0 in six innings, at Marita Hynes Field at the OU Softball Complex. Missouri is now 2-3 in league play. The Sooners, who scored eight runs on nine hits, including two home runs, improve to 31-8 and 5-0.
Missouri left runners on first and second at the end of the first half inning, and senior Jen Bruck (St. Peters, Mo.) gave up three runs on three hits to allow OU a 3-0 lead by the end of the first frame. Oklahoma added two runs in the bottom of the second, one in the fourth, one on first baseman Samantha Ricketts one out home run in the fifth and a final run in the sixth, to secure the win.
Held to only four hits, Missouri's leadoff batter Rhea Taylor (Buford, Ga.) and two-hole hitter sophomore Julie Silver (Chesterfield, Mo.) connected on back-to-back pitches for a single through the right side and bunt to pitcher D.J. Mathis, respectively in the first inning. Taylor entered Missouri's game against Oklahoma as the nation's leader in stolen bases (38) and increased her lead over Alabama's Brittany Rogers (37) by one (39) after stealing second. The Tiger freshman ended her day with a 2-for-3 showing at the dish, slapping her second single of the game in the fifth inning.
Cleanup batter Amanda Renth (Mascoutah, (ll.) extended her hitting streak to three games after swatting a single to left field in the top of the fourth. The Tiger first baseman advanced as far as third on a sacrifice bunt by third baseman Gina Schneider (Liberty, Mo.) and fielder's choice that tagged Bruck out at the plate.
Missouri and Oklahoma will wrap up their two game series Sunday, April 6 at Noon.