Mizzou Splits Pair of Games to Open Citrus Classic

Friday, February 27

Kissimmee, Fla.

4:45PM

University of Missouri

9-3

Penn State

7-8

Missouri

Penn State

2/27/2015 12:00:00 AM | Softball

Box Score

Feb. 27, 2015

Final Stats

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Mizzou Softball split a pair of contests to open play at the Citrus Classic on Feb. 27 in Kissimmee, Fla. A seventh-inning rally fell short in a tight battle with Notre Dame, but the Tigers responded to clip Penn State, 11-7, in a nail-biting, eight-inning game. Mizzou moves to 9-3 on the season.

The opening game of the invitational featured two ranked opponents as No. 20 Mizzou took on the No. 23 Fighting Irish. Both starting pitchers cruised through the first three innings. Sophomore hurler Tori Fincuane (Germantown, M.D.) struck out five batters in her first two frames and sat down seven consecutive hitters at one point.

Notre Dame rallied in the fourth inning and pushed across three runs. With runners on second and third, a close play at home put the Irish on the board and a double and a single plated two more runs.

Mizzou kept within striking distance on the back of sophomore pitcher Cheyenne Baxter (Norborne, Mo.). Baxter relieved Finucane in the fifth inning and tossed three scoreless frames, giving up just three hits.

In the seventh inning, Mizzou mounted a comeback that fell just short. Two walks and an error loaded the bases for senior Corrin Genovese (East Amherst, N.Y.), who drew another walk to slice the Tigers' deficit to 3-1. Junior Taylor Gadbois (Maryville, Mo.) followed with an RBI infield single to cut Notre Dame's lead to one, but the Irish managed to retire the side with the bases loaded and seal a 3-2 win.

Mizzou responded in its final game of Friday's doubleheader. The Tigers found themselves in a 5-0 hole after two innings, but head coach Ehren Earleywine's squad continued to chip away throughout the evening.

With two runners in scoring position, junior Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) roped a two-RBI single for the Tigers' first runs of the game. Two at bats later, freshman Amanda Sanchez (West Covina, Calif.) connected on a clutch two-out double to score Fagan.

In the fourth inning, junior Emily Crane (Troy, Mo.) helped Mizzou get another run back with a deep double to left. Crane went 2-for-4 in the nightcap with an RBI and two runs scored.

Penn State got an insurance run in the sixth inning with a solo home run, but its 6-4 lead wasn't enough to down Mizzou. The Tigers loaded the bases with two singles and an error. A fielder's choice scored a run a batter later to cut Penn State's lead to one, setting the table for Sanchez.

The freshman came up clutch again, smacking a single to center to tie the game at 6-6. Mizzou could not push another run across, but the Tigers made up for it in a big eighth inning.

With the international tiebreaker in play (a baserunner starts at second for each team to begin each inning), freshman Morgan Walters (Buford, Ga.) wasted no time putting Mizzou ahead. Walters doubled home the runner at second to give Mizzou a 7-6 advantage. Fagan followed with an RBI single to score Walters and then the Tigers' power took over.

Senior Angela Randazzo (Poway, Calif.) and Sanchez launched back-to-back home runs, ballooning Mizzou's lead to 11-6. The long ball was the first of Sanchez' career, who finished the game 3-for-5 with three hits and three RBI. Penn State added a run in the bottom half, but freshman Paige Lowary (Dallas Center, Iowa) closed the door to secure her sixth win in six starts.

Mizzou is back in action tomorrow as the Tigers face Minnesota and James Madison at 12:15 p.m. and 4:45 p.m., respectively. For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MizzouSoftball.