Feb. 21, 2009
Boca Raton, Fla. - The No. 15 Missouri softball team recorded its second straight win by run rule, topping Arkansas, 8-0, in six innings in their third game of the Strike-Out Cancer Tournament. Led by the strong arm of freshman pitcher Chelsea Thomas (Pleasantville, Iowa), Missouri improves to 6-0 on the season and 3-0 in the three-day tournament. Missouri will pair with FIU for the second time of the tournament beginning at 10 a.m. (CT) today.
Thomas made her fourth start of the season and recorded her third shutout of the year, holding the Razorbacks to two hits in six innings. The right-handed hurler owns a 0.59 ERA and has allowed only two runs in 23.2 innings this season. Taking on the Razorbacks, Thomas managed eight strikeouts and three, three-up, three-down innings.
Sophomore centerfielder Shana White (Columbia, Mo.) put Missouri on the board in the bottom of the first inning. Leading off with a single to third base, the Tiger successfully stole her fourth bag of the season and advanced to third on senior designated player Micaela Minner's (Sanger, Texas) single to centerfield. White scored in Missouri's next at bat, freshman Ashley Fleming's (Silex, Mo.) sacrifice bunt to second base.
Senior right fielder Gina Schneider (Liberty, Mo.) finished the game 3-for-3 with an RBI and scored two of the Tigers' eight runs. Schneider led off the second inning with a double to centerfield and scored on sophomore Abby Vock's (Morrison, Ill.) ground out to second base. Four innings later, Schneider drove in the game-ending run in the bottom of the sixth with her double to right center.
Through six games, the Tigers are 14-of-18 on stolen bases this season and together own a .340 average. Nine members of Missouri's squad are batting over .333 on the year. Missouri's pitching staff has held its opponents to a .196 average and owns a 0.92 ERA.
Missouri's six inning shutout marks the Tigers' third win by run rule this season and third shutout of the year.