The Missouri softball team’s normally high-powered offense seemed to sputter with the rain, and the Tigers finished their opening weekend in stormy San Diego having lost two out of three games. Missouri begins the University of South Florida Tournament in Tampa, Florida on Friday and will look to get back on track against Illinois State.

After run-ruling No. 22 San Diego State in a 9-1 win Feb. 17, the Tigers only managed three more runs in losses to Fresno State and California the following days. Senior infielder Abby Vock, who led the offense in the tournament with four hits and a .500 batting average, attributed the poor showing to opening day jitters.

“I think this first weekend, everybody is just trying a little too hard,” Vock said. “(The key is) just to relax, and even if they’re a great pitcher or even a mediocre pitcher we just have to have the same approach to both types.”

Bad weather forced the Tigers to play San Diego State mere hours after deplaning, and coach Ehren Earleywine said the rush actually benefited the team’s performance. But he also said that once they got settled and started thinking about the upcoming games was when they let the excitement get to them.

“These girls were so revved up that they couldn’t play,” Earleywine said. “They learned a valuable lesson from it. You know, our goals are so high and our confidence is so high that we went in there thinking we were just going to (beat) everybody to death. And this sport does not work like that.”

California pitcher Jolene Henderson stymied the Missouri offense, only giving up two hits while allowing no runs. Vock said the Tigers were kept off-guard by Henderson all game.

“We were hitting the ball, we were hitting right at them,” Vock said. “The pitcher was throwing pretty hard. She kind of kept us off our rhythm, trying to quick-pitch a lot of players. We just couldn’t get comfortable.”

Sophomore Chelsea Thomas made her long-awaited return to the mound against California, her first start since suffering a stress fracture early last season. She went all seven innings, allowing only one unearned run on three hits while striking out eleven batters. Earleywine said he was impressed that she struck out so many while limiting using the rise-ball.

“We held her back, because we don’t want to injure her,” Earleywine said. “So sometime near the end of the season, when we say ‘Hey kid, you’re healthy, your atrophy’s gone…throw thirty rise balls.’ How many strikeouts is she going to have then? She’s going to be filthy.”

Thomas said she didn’t feel any soreness after the game, and admitted she was worried about how she well she would perform without her signature rise-ball. But she said a simplistic approach helped her.

“Pitching is really just about hitting spots,” Thomas said. “If I hit my spots well and use my rise ball every once and awhile it’s going to be okay. Last year I didn’t really have a changeup I could rely on, and I do this year.“

Coach Earleywine said the Tigers “learned a lot” from the rough opening weekend, and Thomas said she believes the team has what it takes to make a quick rebound this weekend.

“I think we all need to stay within ourselves and not try to overdo everything,” Thomas said. “If everyone can do what they do best and not try to go above and beyond that, we’re going to be just fine. And I think everyone is on the same page.”