ST. CHARLES, Mo. – No. 24 Mizzou Softball (11-8) tallied a 5-1 victory over Illinois on Wednesday night on the campus of Lindenwood University. The Tigers' triumph over the Fighting Illini improved their record to 8-1 in the teams' all-time series.
Senior Natalie Fleming (Silex, Mo.) continued her recent power surge at the plate with a two-run home run in the third inning. Overall Wednesday, Fleming finished 2-for-2 with three RBI. The Tiger left fielder has now homered in each of her past three games, while recording seven RBI.
In the circle, redshirt sophomore Madi Norman (Tipton, Mo.) and sophomore Danielle Baumgartner (Mexico, Mo.) limited the Fighting Illini to only one run on three hits. Norman earned her team-leading sixth win after tossing 5.1 shutout innings. The Tiger righty also added in six strikeouts over her dominant performance.
Sophomore Rylee Pierce (Visalia, Calif.) led off the game with a base hit, extending her current hitting streak to seven games. Her streak ranks first among Mizzou batters this season. Pierce has also now safely reached base in 14 consecutive games, ranking tops among Tigers in 2017 as well.
Hear From the Tigers
Norman on her performance tonight…
"I felt in control all night. My drop ball wasn't as effective as usual tonight, so my rise ball became my go-to pitch. It was a great team victory tonight and hopefully we can carry this momentum into Florida this weekend."
Up Next
The Tigers open their 2017 Southeastern Conference schedule this weekend (March 11-13) against No. 1 Florida. Mizzou will meet the Gators in Gainesville, Fla., for three games over three days.
Following their SEC opener, the Tigers return home for a quick Wednesday (March 15) doubleheader against Iowa. Game one is scheduled for 3 p.m. (CT) inside Mizzou Stadium.
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).
