Feb. 27, 2009
Box Score
San Diego, Calif. - The 12th-ranked Missouri softball team used extra innings to take down Oregon, 8-7, at the San Diego Classic. Improving to 11-0 on the year, the visiting Tigers used a ninth inning run combined with a solid Missouri defense to hold the Ducks (6-10) to seven runs on seven hits. Freshman Chelsea Thomas (Pleasantville, Iowa) threw the first seven innings for Missouri but junior Jana Hainey (Peculiar, Mo.) was credited with the win, her third of the season, after hurling the final two frames and holding the Ducks to only one hit.
Missouri's win over Oregon extends the Tigers' win streak to 11 straight, the longest season opening win streak in program history.
Tied at six entering the eighth, leadoff batter Rhea Taylor (Buford, Ga.) scored an unearned run to give Missouri its second lead of the night. Taylor was placed on second to start the inning, as per the international tie breaker rule, and advanced to third on senior Andee Allen's (Barnhart, Mo.) one out ground out to short. After freshman Ashley Fleming (Silex, Mo.) reached base on balls, the aggressive All-American base runner stole home making the score 7-6.
Oregon answered with a run in the bottom of the eighth. Courtney Kivett reached third on Thomas' second wild pitch of the season and scored on a fielder's choice. With the game tied at seven, Hainey entered in relief and forced a strike out and pop out before allowing a single up the middle and walk. The inning came to a close on a flyball to right field. Hainey currently sits with a 0.39 ERA and has allowed only one run in 18 innings.
Pinch runner
Kristin Nottelmann (Fenton, Mo.) was placed on second at the start of the ninth inning. The Tiger freshman advanced to third on redshirt junior
Gina Schneider's (Liberty, Mo.) sacrifice bunt and scored on senior third baseman
Lindsey Ubrun's (Riverside, Calif.) single through the right side.
The three hour and eight minute game, Missouri's longest of the season, and first extra inning game of the year, saw the Tigers combine for 10 hits. Missouri owned a 4-1 lead at the close of the fifth inning, with three of the four runs coming across unearned.
Oregon used a five run fifth inning to take the lead, but junior Julie Silver (Chesterfield, Mo.) kept Missouri in the game with her two run home run in the seventh. Driving the ball deep over the left field fence, Silver knotted the game at six.
As a team, Missouri combined for seven stolen bases, with Taylor finishing the game 3-of-3. Leftfielder Shana White (Columbia, Mo.) brought her season total to 10 stolen bases, a team high, and was 2-of-2 against Oregon.
Missouri will play two games Saturday in San Diego. First up, the Tigers will square off with Santa Clara beginning at 4 p.m. (CT), followed with a 6:30 p.m. (CT) game against San Diego State.
