March 17, 2010

Game One Box Score | Game Two Box Score |  Photo Gallery 

COLUMBIA, Mo. - The No. 3 Missouri softball team (18-2) used 17 hits and 14 runs combined to sweep past Wichita State in Wednesday's double header, extending the Tiger win streak to 16 straight.  Mizzou won the first game 8-0 in six innings, and the second 6-1.

Sophomore Ashley Fleming led the offensive attack, going 4-for-6 in the two games with two home runs and seven RBI.  Fleming hit a two-run walk-off home run in game one to give the Tigers a run-rule victory, and then hit another two-run home run in her first at-bat of game two.

Sophomore Kristin Nottelmann threw four shutout innings in game one, giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out six to improve to 5-1 on the year.

Mizzou and Wichita State were scoreless until the bottom of the third, when the Tigers put up six runs on six hits to break the 0-0 standstill.  Junior Rhea Taylor kicked off the inning with a triple into left field, her first three-bagger of the year.  Freshman Jenna Marston followed with an RBI double, and then scored on a single by Fleming.  Junior Marla Schweisberger then singled home Fleming, and she was plated on a single by senior Michaele Vock.  After junior Megan Christopher walked, freshman Rachel Hay singled home Vock.  Taylor drove home Christopher on a sacrifice fly for the six run of the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Fleming drove a 1-2 pitch deep over the right field fence to secure the Missouri win.  Senior Jana Hainey pitched two shutout innings in relief, allowing just one baserunner.

In game two, Fleming's first inning home run got Missouri on the board immediately, giving them a 2-0 lead.  The Tigers wouldn't score again until the fifth, when they touched home four times on four hits.

Taylor started the rally with one out in the inning with a leadoff double.  The junior hit a high chopper over the third baseman's head that landed in fair territory and rolled into foul ground.  As the shortstop ran over to retrieve the ball, Taylor wisely took second base.  Taylor advanced to third on a ground out, and Marston stole second after being hit by a pitch, setting up a two-run single up the middle by Fleming, putting Mizzou up 4-0.  Junior Kathryn Poet singled into center to score Fleming, and Michaele Vock scored on junior Shana White's RBI single to right.

Sophomore Chelsea Thomas picked up her tenth win of the season, as she pitched 5.2 innings, allowing just two hits while recording 12 strikeouts.  Hainey once again came in relief, this time pitching 1.1 innings and allowing one run.

The Tigers will put their win streak on the line this weekend as they host the Demarini Invitational.  Action gets underway Friday and runs through Sunday.  Stay tuned to mutigers.com for more information.