May 15, 2010
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The No. 5 seed Missouri Tigers pushed across five runs in the last two innings to break a scoreless tie as they advanced at the Big 12 Championship with a 5-0 win over No. 4 seed Oklahoma State.
Jana Hainey threw her longest outing of the season, throwing a complete game shutout. It's the first time Hainey has thrown a seven inning complete game since April 15, 2009 against Missouri S&T. The senior allowed just four hits, didn't allow a walk and struck out a season-best six batters.
The Tigers put together the first major chance in the top of the third, getting runners on second and third with just one out. A bloop single by Marla Schweisberger led off the inning, and with one out Rhea Taylor doubled down the left field line. However, the Cowgirls were about to get out of the inning with back-to-back strikeouts, ending the threat.
Oklahoma State had an opportunity in their half of the third, getting a leadoff single and a stolen base to put a runner on second with nobody out. However, two strikeouts and a groundout got the Tigers out of the jam to keep the game scoreless.
Mizzou got another chance in the fifth, beginning again with a Schweisberger leadoff single. A sac bunt moved over Kathryn Poet to second, who was in to pinch-run, who moved to third on a passed ball with two outs. With a 2-2 count, Catherine Lee roped a line drive into the right-center field gap, but it was tracked down just shy of the wall to end the inning and keep the game scoreless.
Missouri finally broke the scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the top of the sixth. Marston and Ashley Fleming led off the inning with back-to-back singles, with each moving up a bag on a sacrifice bunt by Abby Vock. Lindsey Muller then came through with a single into right field, plating both runners and giving Mizzou the first lead of the day.
The Tigers added some insurance in the top of the seventh to push their lead to 5-0. With one out, Taylor laid down a perfect bunt single, setting up her 38th stolen base of the season. Megan Christopher drew a walk to put two on. After a groundout advanced the runners to second and third, Fleming crushed a three-run home run over the right-center field wall, her ninth home run of the season.
Fleming finished the day 2-for-4 with two runs, a home run and three RBI. Muller was 1-for-3 with two RBI, while Taylor added a pair of hits and a run.
The No. 5 seed Tigers advance to take on No. 1 seed Texas in the semifinals, beginning tonight at approximately 7:30 p.m. CT.