University of Missouri
Northern Colorado
No. 3 Tigers Split Doubleheader
3/19/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
March 19, 2010
Box Score |
Photo Gallery (Northern Colorado) 
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Photo Gallery (Ball State)
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The No. 3 Missouri softball team (19-3) split a doubleheader on Friday on the first day of action at the Demarini Invitational. The Tigers knocked off Northern Colorado, 7-1, in the first game of the day, but fell to Ball State by a 2-1 score in the nightcap.
Mizzou's winning streak ends at 17 consecutive victories, the third-longest streak since 1995 for the program. The 1995 Tiger team won a school-record 20-straight, while the 2008 squad won 19 in a row.
In game one, the Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a run in each of the first two innings. In the first, sophomore Ashley Fleming hit a sacrifice fly to left, driving home freshman Jenna Marston, who doubled two batters earlier. In the following inning, junior Shana White led off the inning with a walk, and promptly stole second base. After advancing to third, White scored on a groundout in the infield.
Northern Colorado scored in the top of the fourth to cut the lead in half, but Mizzou bounced right back with a four-spot in the bottom half. Junior Catherine Lee walked to start the inning, and advanced to second on junior Abby Vock's bunt single. Lee then scored on an RBI single up the middle by Taylor, giving Missouri a 3-1 lead. Two batters later, Fleming connected on a deep home run to right field, her third of the week, giving the Tigers a 6-1 advantage.
Mizzou added another run in the bottom of the sixth on a groundout by Marston. Earlier in the inning, Taylor stole her 107th career base as a Tiger, putting her just three shy of tying the school record.
Taylor finished the game 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Fleming went 1-for-2 with the home run while driving in four. Freshman Lindsey Muller (2-0) got the start and the win for the Tigers, going five innings while allowing one unearned run.
In game two, the Tiger bats were stymied by Ball State's ace. The Cardinals' Elizabeth Milian threw a complete game while allowing just four hits and one run for her 12th win of the season.
Mizzou's lone run came on an RBI groundout by Marston in the top of the third. Ball State scored twice in the bottom of the fourth, with both runs being unearned. Milian sat down the last 13 Tiger batters in order.
Missouri will look to get back on the winning track tomorrow as the Demarini Invitational continues. The Tigers will take on Northwestern at 1:00 p.m. CT, and Eastern Michigan at 3:00 p.m. CT. Stay tuned to mutigers.com for information on any possible changes with inclement weather approaching the area.
