#15 @MizzouSoftball Sweeps Western Illinois in Mid-Week Doubleheader

Wednesday, March 16

Columbia, Mo.

4:00 PM

University of Missouri

16-4

Western Illinois

6-18

Western Illinois

Mizzou

#15 @MizzouSoftball Sweeps Western Illinois in Mid-Week Doubleheader

3/16/2016 10:28:00 PM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

Tigers earn 6-0 wins in each game

Photo Gallery

COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 15 Mizzou Softball (17-4) treated its fans to a doubleheader sweep over Western Illinois on Wednesday in its 2016 home opener. The Tigers earned identical 6-0 victories in both contests at University Field.

Mizzou's pitching staff was brilliant as four pitchers combined for 14.0 shutout innings. Sophomore Paige Lowary (Dallas Center, Iowa) and freshman Danielle Baumgartner (Mexico, Mo.) both tallied victories with outstanding relief work.

Lowary (9-2) finished game one with 5.0 shutout frames, allowing only two hits along the way. In game two, Baumgartner (8-1) entered in the fourth and tossed 4.0 outstanding innings. The right-hander allowed three hits while matching her season high with five strikeouts.

Juniors Cheyenne Baxter (Norborne, Mo.) and Tori Finucane (Germantown, Md.) also competed well in the circle for Mizzou, recording 2.0 and 3.0 shutout frames, respectively.

Redshirt senior Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.) paced the Tigers' attack, recording a team-high four hits (.667 AVG), two RBI and two stolen bases in the two games.

In game one, senior Emily Crane (Troy, Mo.) roped her first triple of the season to bring in two in the first inning. Sophomore Amanda Sanchez (West Covina, Calif.) and Fagan added RBI doubles to give the Tigers a 5-0 advantage through two innings. Junior Chloe Rathburn (Mission Viejo, Calif.) produced the Tigers' final run in game one with a fourth inning sacrifice fly.

Game two once again saw Mizzou jump out to an early advantage. The Tigers tallied four in the first inning, highlighted by freshman Rylee Pierce's (Visalia, Calif.) two-run home run (5th of season). Fagan and junior Kirsten Mack (Riverside, Calif.) recorded an RBI in the second and third inning, respectively, to conclude Mizzou's scoring Wednesday evening.

Freshman Raime Cohen (St. Louis, Mo.) made her first career appearance as a Tiger and produced two stolen bases. Cohen, Gadbois, Fagan and freshman Regan Nash (Camden Point, Mo.) each recorded two stolen bases over the two games versus the Leathernecks.

KEY MOMENT (GAME 1)

Mizzou jumped on the board early with four runs in the first inning. Crane's third career triple highlighted the bottom half of the inning, driving in a pair and sending the home crowd to its feet.

TOP TIGERS (GAME 1)

Gadbois: 3-for-4, R, 2 SB
Fagan: 3-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, SB
Lowary: (W, 9-2) 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 K

KEY MOMENT (GAME 2)

Just like game one, the Tigers pushed four across the plate in the opening inning. Following Rathburn's team-leading 29th RBI and Crane's sacrifice fly, Pierce launched Mizzou's only home run of the night over the left field fence.

TOP TIGERS (GAME 2)

Pierce: 1-for-2, 2 R, HR, 2 RBI
Finucane: 3.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K
Baumgartner: (W, 8-1) 4.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 5 K (season high)

UP NEXT

Mizzou hits the road again on Saturday, March 19, with a doubleheader at New Mexico State. Game one between the Tigers and Aggies is scheduled for 4 p.m. (CT). First pitch for game two is set for 6 p.m. (CT).

Mizzou closes its three-game set in Las Cruces, N.M., on Sunday, March 20, with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m. (CT). Fans can also follow the action on Twitter (@MizzouSoftball) and StatBroadcast.com.

Visit MUTigers.com for the latest information on all things Mizzou Softball. You can also find the Tigers on social media by liking us on Facebook (University of Missouri Softball Team) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@MizzouSoftball).