COLUMBIA, Mo. - On the back of a six-run fifth inning and a dominant outing from pitcher Tori Finucane (Germantown, M.D.), No. 20/21 Mizzou Softball (13-3, 3-0) blanked South Carolina, 8-0, in six innings Monday night to improve to 13-3 overall and begin SEC play with a spotless 3-0 record. The Tigers outscored the Gamecocks a combined 21-5 over three games to polish off the series sweep.
Finucane collected her second win in as many nights in the circle Monday. She shut down the South Carolina offense and picked up her first shutout, complete-game victory of the season. Finucane went 6.0 innings and surrendered two hits and one walk.
It was a pitcher's duel between right-handed aces Finucane and South Carolina's Nickie Blue until the fifth frame. Each offense managed just one base runner through the first four innings.
Freshman Amanda Sanchez (West Covina, Calif.) broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fifth in style, belting solo shot over the right field wall for her second career home run. Sanchez smacked a grand slam in Mizzou's win on Sunday.
The Tigers seized momentum and pounced on it following the long ball. Two errors and a walk loaded the bases for Mizzou and then Taylor Gadbois (Maryville, Mo.) drew a walk to a plate a run for her second RBI of the season. Junior Emily Crane (Troy, Mo.) earned another bases-loaded walk to tack on a third run before RBI singles from Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) and Angela Randazzo (Poway, Calif.) swelled Mizzou's lead to 6-0.
In the top of the sixth, senior Kelsea Roth (Yorba Linda, Calif.) pushed the Tigers' advantage to 8-0 with a two-run home run. The bomb was her first home run of the season.
Finucane finished the run rule and sweep by retiring the side in order in the bottom half. Mizzou returns home for the first time this season as the Tigers host a doubleheader against SEMO on Wednesday (March 11). The two games start at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m., respectively. For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MizzouSoftball.