COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Softball (13-10) got back to its winning ways Wednesday evening at Mizzou Stadium, tallying a pair of shutout victories over Iowa. In game one, the Tigers claimed a 9-0 run-rule win (5 inn.), while earning a 2-0 triumph in game two.
Senior Cheyenne Baxter (Norborne, Mo.) carried her momentum from Sunday evening's fantastic start against No. 1 Florida into today's matchup against the Hawkeyes. The Tiger righty reset her single game career high in strikeouts for the second time this year, finishing with nine punch outs versus Iowa.
Baxter has stepped up her performance in the circle as of late, tallying one earned run or less in six of her past seven appearances (four starts). She lowered her team-best ERA to 2.42 following the game one outing.
Sophomore Danielle Baumgartner (Mexico, Mo.) carried the Tigers' pitching dominance over Iowa into game two, as she posted her second complete game shutout of the season. Similar to Baxter, Baumgartner has performed exceptionally over the past month, firing scoreless outings in five of her past six appearances (two starts).
Since March 4, Baumgartner has produced a sparkling 0.36 ERA over 19.1 IP (team-high six appearances). After a shaky start to the season, she has also lowered her personal ERA from 6.30 to 3.38 over the aforementioned stretch of games.
Across Wednesday's doubleheader, senior Kirsten Mack (Riverside, Calif.), freshman Braxton Burnside (Paragould, Ark.) and sophomore Rylee Pierce (Visalia, Calif.) each tallied three total hits. Pierce opened the evening's scoring with a two-run home run in the second inning of game one, marking her third long ball of the year.
In game two, Burnside hit safely for the seventh consecutive game, matching Pierce for the top individual Mizzou hitting streak so far this season. Mack's single in the second inning and RBI triple in the fourth inning secured her team-leading eighth multi-hit outing of the year.
Hear From the Tigers
Junior Amanda Sanchez on the Tigers' pitching performances tonight…
"Our pitchers did a really good job out there. They really controlled the tempo of the game. They made it pretty easy for us (the Mizzou batters) to go out there and hit the ball."
Baumgartner on being locked in as of late in the circle…
"Yeah, I've been feeling more and more comfortable every game. Early on, there were a few quirks and stuff that I was working through. Now, I'm getting settled in. I'm feeling more comfortable."
Baxter on the team providing her a comfortable lead in game one…
"You're definitely more comfortable going out there when your team has scored a lot. Especially with the nine runs today. At that point, you just want to go after the hitters. You want to make them hit the ball and have your defense do the work. You want to get in and out of the inning as quickly as possible."
Baxter on what was working well within her pitching arsenal…
"Today, it was predominantly my drop ball. I've been feeling really good with it, especially against Florida last Sunday. That was working for me the most. Also, my rise ball was working really well today. Being able to mix it up with my change-up, drop ball and rise ball was key."
Up Next
The Tigers hit the road this weekend for the 2017 South Florida Tournament. Mizzou will play five games over three days in Clearwater, Fla., beginning with a doubleheader on Friday, March 17. The Tigers are scheduled for matchups against Ohio State and Rutgers on day one. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. (CT) and 5:15 p.m. (CT), respectively.
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