Missouri softball impressed in the Mizzou Tournament at home this past weekend, winning all of its last four games Saturday and Sunday.
The Tigers struggled on both ends in the first game Saturday morning against Southeastern Louisiana, but pulled out a 6-4 win in extra innings. Junior Danielle Baumgartner gave up a leadoff home run to left field in the first inning. She pitched three innings and gave up three runs on six hits, only recording two strikeouts. She continues to struggle this season, with her earned run average at 4.5 after the game.
Missouri’s offense wasn’t very active, only producing six hits in the game. However, the Tigers made the hits count, scoring six runs and ultimately winning the game off a deep home run to left field in the eighth inning by junior Kolby Romaine.
“A rise ball coming in, at that point with a runner on third with no outs, I’m just trying to hit it high and far,” Romaine said.
However, the Tigers did not strike out once in the game against the Lions on 27 at-bats and 104 pitches.
Sophomore Nalani Scates got the nod in the Tigers’ second win Saturday afternoon against Creighton. She came into the game with a 2.27 ERA and a record of 2-0. She struggled early, giving up a three-run homer in the first inning, which ended her 11-game scoreless inning streak.
Redshirt junior Amanda Sanchez struggled the first game, going 0 for 3. Most of her hits were poorly placed line drives. In her second game, she came right back, going 2 for 2 with two home runs and a walk. Missouri won 11-3 in five innings.
“We hit the ball well today,” interim head coach Gina Fogue said after the games. “Pitching wise, we were leaving the ball up a little bit, letting them in the game, but we kind of stopped that once we brought our second pitchers in both games.”
The bats were alive on Sunday as well when the Tigers completed their weekend sweep. They won 8-0 in the first game against Creighton in just six innings. The freshmen stole the show, with five hits among them. Callie Martin and Brooke Wilmes went 2 for 3 in the game. Freshman Trenity Edwards went 1 for 2, with one bomb to center field.
Sanchez was walked intentionally four times, not getting anything after the previous game against Creighton, in which she went 2 for 2 with a pair of home runs.
“Very scary at the plate,” sophomore Braxton Burnside said about Sanchez. “She’s been really hot. She’s seeing the ball really well. Anytime she gets a chance to hit, she’s taking advantage of it.”
Freshman Lauren Rice got the nod in this game and did not disappoint. She threw six innings, notching six strikeouts, giving up only a single hit and no runs. She had thrown a no-hitter through four innings. She recorded her first career shutout game.
“That’s the Lauren we’ve seen the last couple of weeks,” Fogue said. “When she pitches like that, we are going to do well.”
Creighton posed a threat in the fifth inning, but a beautiful 4-6-3 double play that led to a runner on third with two outs helped the Tigers escape the inning without any damage. The lead was 3-0 at that point.
Wilmes helped extend the lead with a triple hugging the right field line. This led to Sanchez being walked, and Wilmes scored with help from a sacrifice fly from Burnside.
In the second game in Sunday’s double-header against Drake, the offense did not slow down. The Tigers won the game 10-3 in seven innings.
An explosive outing by the Tiger offense helped secure the final victory they needed to end the Mizzou Tournament with a sweep. Junior Regan Nash had an impressive showing, with one run batted in, going 2 for 3 on the day, also adding impressive play from left field.
Sophomore Eli Daniel got the nod in this game, pitching four innings, giving up six hits and two runs. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but it got the job done. Norman came in and got the save after giving up a single run.
The freshmen showed up in this game too, with Hatti Moore getting her first career home run and Edwards adding another multi-hit game.
“Brooke [Wilmes] is still doing well, and Hatti [Moore] and Trenity [Edwards] stepped it up a little bit,” Fogue said. “They’re continuing to do great things, which we need because we have a young team, and they’re going to help round out our order.”
The Tigers now sit at 16-7 on the season and will start Southeastern Conference play at No. 5 Tennessee on Friday, opening a three-game series against the Volunteers.
_Edited by Bennett Durando | bdurando@themaneater.com_