RALEIGH, N.C. - A 13-hit attack and aggressive base-running led to a pair of big innings early and late which propelled the #19/20 Missouri Tigers to a 13-3 six-inning run-rule win at #25 North Carolina State Sunday afternoon. Mizzou got four runs in the top of the first and six more in the sixth to invoke the run rule, with the big blow a three-run sixth-inning home run to center field by sophomore C Kirsten Mack (Riverside, Calif.) for her team-best seventh round tripper of the year. The victory extended Mizzou's win streak to 11 and improved Coach Ehren Earleywine's squad to 19-3 on the season (4-0 at the Hyatt Place Invitational), while N.C. State fell to 13-9 overall.
Sophomore RF Emily Crane (Troy, Mo.) paced the onslaught with a perfect 4-of-4 day at the plate. Crane had two doubles, one RBI, two stolen bases and a walk to go with four runs scored, the latter of which ties an MU single-game record. A trio of Tigers had three RBIs in the win, including senior SS Corrin Genovese (East Amherst, N.Y.), freshman 3B Amanda Sanchez (West Covina, Calif.) and Mack. The Tigers stole six bases in the game, including three in the tone-setting first inning.
Sophomore RHP Tori Finucane (Germantown, Md.) came on in relief in the second inning and was awarded the win after working 4.1 innings and allowing two runs on four hits while striking out five and walking none. The win improved her season record to 9-3.
The Tigers applied the pressure early, scoring four first-inning runs on five consecutive hits and three stolen bases, to take a quick 4-0 lead. Crane started the rally with a one-out single, and after she stole second, junior 2B Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) made it 1-0 with a double to the wall in right center. After Genovese singled, Sanchez singled home Fagan to push the lead to 2-0 and put runners on the corners.
Earleywine manufactured the next run as Sanchez stole second, and when the Wolfpack threw down to second, Genovese took off for home and beat the return throw, getting under the tag for a 3-0 lead. Senior 1B Kelsea Roth continued her hot hitting as she followed with an RBI single to score Sanchez from second for a 4-0 lead. Roth ended the day 2-for-3 and upped her season batting average to .320, up from .167 just seven games ago, as she's driven in 10 runs in her last seven games alone.
Genovese made it 6-0 in the second with a two-out, two-run single that plated Crane, who doubled with two outs, and Fagan, who scored all the way from first after drawing a full-count walk.
The Wolfpack scored one run on two hits and a couple of illegal pitches called against starting LHP Paige Lowary (Dallas Center, Iowa), but it could have been worse, as the bases were loaded with two outs. Finucane came in to induce an inning-ending strikeout to leave the bases loaded, and keep the score at 6-1.
North Carolina State would make it 6-3 thanks to an infield single and a two-run homer in the bottom of the third, but the Tigers got a sacrifice fly RBI from Sanchez to score Crane in the fourth for a 7-3 lead.
Up next for the Tigers is a single Wednesday game at Missouri State, set for 5 p.m. (central time) from Springfield, Mo. Live audio of that game will be provided on www.mixlr.com/Mizzou-Softball/.