March 17, 2009
Columbia, Mo. - Moving up one spot in the weekly national polls, the 13th-ranked Missouri softball team is ready to put its 23-3 record on the line when they host Western Illinois in a midweek doubleheader beginning Wednesday, March 18, at 2 p.m. (CT) on University Field. Game two will start at approximately 4 p.m. (CT). This marks the 24th and 25th meeting all time between the two teams. The two squads last met in 2007 with Missouri taking the series, 2-1.
Two Big 12 Pitcher's of the Week stand ready for the call by Tiger Head Coach Ehren Earleywine. Senior Stacy Delaney (Freeland, Mich.) was awarded the weekly accolade on Monday after recording a no-hitter against 15th-ranked North Carolina on March 15. Last week, freshman Chelsea Thomas (Pleasantville, Iowa) was tabbed league pitcher of the week for her back-to-back no hitters at the All-Missouri Breast Cancer Awareness tournament in Springfield, Mo.
Missouri's four person pitching staff owns a combined 0.95 ERA and has struck out 159 batters while holding its opponents to a .186 average.
Strong offensively, Missouri is led at the plate by sophomore Columbia, Mo., native Shana White. Averaging .482 on the season, White has 27 hits in 56 games. Teammate Rhea Taylor (Buford, Ga.) stands just behind White with a .475 average. The Big 12 record holder in stolen bases owns a .712 slugging percentage, assisted by her two doubles, triple and three home runs.
Leading the way with RBI is senior Micaela Minner (Sanger, Texas). To date, Minner has been credited with a squad high 25 RBI.
At 8-10 on the season, the Western Illinois Westerwinds have a strong showing on the road and stand at 6-2. Playing in 17 of the team's 18 games this season, Michelle Prieto is averaging .347 with five RBI. As a team, the Westerwinds have combined for a .276 average.
Three pitchers have thrown consistently for Western Illinois including Ashley Campbell at 2-1 on the year. In 41 innings of work, Marinec has managed 39 strike outs.
Following Missouri's midweek doubleheader, the Tigers will prepare to open Big 12 Conference season with a two-game series against Texas. The first game will be played Saturday at 2 p.m. (CT) on University Field, while game two is set for a Noon start on Sunday, March 22.