Feb. 26, 2010
Box Score
COLUMBUS, Ga. – The No. 6/4 Mizzou softball team (5-2) moved to 2-0 at the NFCA Leadoff Classic after beating the Virginia Tech Hokies (4-7) by a 9-4 final.
Sophomore Kristin Nottelmann picked up her first win of the season and senior Jana Hainey tied down the save for the Tigers, while freshman Nicole Hudson hit her second home run of the year and drove in three runs offensively. Junior Shana White, making her first start of the season, singled twice from the leadoff spot.
The Tigers scored in each of their last four innings, plating seven runs combined runs.
Missouri took advantage of some defensive lapses by the Hokies in the second inning to get on the board. Sophomore Ashley Fleming walked to lead off the frame, and moved to second on senior Gina Schneider's single to. A double steal put the runners on second and third, and both runners would score when junior Catherine Lee drew a walk. On ball four, the pitch got passed the catcher, scoring Fleming, and Schneider would score on an errant throw by the catcher, putting the Tigers up 2-1.
The Tigers tacked on two more in the top of the fourth to extend their lead. Lee started the inning by reaching first on a dropped pop up to left field, junior Abby Vock was hit by pitch before the Hokies starter issued back-to-back walks, the second of which plated Lee. Freshman Nicole Hudson then grounded into a fielder's choice at second, scoring Vock to make it 4-1. On the play, freshman Jenna Marston wisely got herself into a run-down between first and second, eliminating any chance the Hokies had of getting a double play, while also allowing the run to score.
In the top of the fifth, freshman Princess Krebs grounded out to third, plating Mizzou's fifth run of the game.
Virginia Tech bounced back, however, in their portion of the fifth inning. After two consecutive one-out walks, Hokie center fielder Richelle McGarva delivered a three-run shot over the left field wall, cutting Missouri's lead to 5-4 at the time.
Hudson's home run came with one runner on base and two outs in the top of the sixth, pushing the Missouri lead to 7-4.
Two more Missouri runs came across in the top of the seventh, with the first coming from junior Lisa Simmons' RBI single to center. Junior Marla Schweisberger reached on an error as the next batter, plating MU's ninth and final run of the game.
Mizzou will be back in action two more times tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 27. Game one is against No. 18/20 Louisiana-Lafayette at 11 a.m. CT, while game two with No. 20/24 Massachusetts will kick off at 1:30 p.m. CT.
