March 7, 2009

Springfield, Mo - The 12th-ranked Missouri softball team needed only five innings to shutdown instate opponent SEMO at the All-Missouri Breast Cancer Awareness Tournament held on the Missouri State campus. Freshman Chelsea Thomas (Pleasantville, Iowa) collected her seventh win of the year and managed her first no hitter of the season after hurling the five inning complete game shutout. Improving to 16-3 on the year and 2-0 at the tournament, the Tigers scored five runs in the top of the fifth en route to their 12th win of the season by shutout.

Junior Julie Silver (Chesterfield, Mo.) finished Missouri's second game of the tournament 3-for-4 at the plate and was credited with four RBI. Silver's fifth inning double to left center drove in three runs, while her fourth inning double to left field scored one.

Missouri scored one run, unearned, in the top of the first inning. Sophomore Rhea Taylor (Buford, Ga.) led off with a single to right center, stole second, advanced to third on a throwing error and scored on a bases loaded wild pitch.

Taylor and Silver both had three hits off of SEMO's pitching staff. Taylor had a fourth and fifth inning single, both to left field, with her fifth inning knock driving in Lindsey Ubrun (Riverside, Calif.) from third base.

As a team, Missouri totaled 10 hits, but also left 10 runners on base.

Thomas faced 15 batters in five innings of work, struck out three and forced 12 groundouts. Missouri last managed a no hitter on Feb. 27, 2008 against Saint Louis.