March 30, 2003
Missouri's Melanie Fisher scored on an error in the bottom of the 10th inning, giving the Tigers a 6-5 win over the 20th-ranked Texas A&M softball team Sunday at University Field.
The loss snapped the Aggies' 7-game winning streak as A&M fell to 26-12 and 4-2 in Big 12 play. The Tigers improved to 19-13 and 4-2 in the league.
With the international tiebreaker in effect, Heather Kunkel was placed on second base to start the home half of the 10th. After an intentional walk and a hit batter loaded the bases, Jeni Schellert grounded back to A&M pitcher Jessica Slataper. Slataper's throw home retired Kunkel for the first out, but Aggie catcher Selena Collins' throw to first, in an attempt for a double play, went into right field. The error allowed Fisher to come home with the winning run.
The win by the Tigers spoiled a furious comeback effort by the Aggies, who scored five runs in the top of the 7th inning to tie the game and eventually force extra innings.
Selena Collins walked to lead off the A&M half of the seventh and advanced to second when Adrian Gregory was hit by a pitch. Kristin Gunter then reached safely on a fielder's choice to load the bases. Wilhelmson was hit by a pitch to bring the first Aggie run home, and Crystal Martin followed that with an RBI single to cut the Tiger lead to three.
Pinch runner Morgan Hebert then scored on a passed ball, and another walk-this time to Cheryl Fowler-chased MU starter Erin Kalka. The next batter, Jana James, drew a bases-loaded free pass to make the score 5-4. After Crystal Martin was thrown out at the plate on a ground ball off the bat of Rocky Spencer, a walk to Collins brought home Cheryl Fowler with the tying run.
The Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh, but failed to score. A&Mdid the same in the eighth with similar results.
The Aggies had the go-ahead run on third with one out in the 10th, but Tiger relief pitcher Samantha Fleeman got a ground out and pop out to eliminate the threat.
Missouri's Jenni Schelert got Tigers rolling early as she singled down the left field line with two outs in the bottom of the second. Daisy Metlach did what she could do to get on base as she was hit by a pitch. A walk to Kristin Burke loaded the bases for Ashley Hays. With two strikes, Hays hit a single through the left side, scoring Schellert from third and Mettlach from second and giving the Tigers a 2-0 lead. Burke was thrown out at home on the play as she tried to bring home the Tigers' third run.
Missouri wasted no time in putting another run on the board, as Morgan LeCluyse led off the third inning with her fourth home run of the year to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. Joanne Loethen followed LeCluyse's lead, as she ripped Aggie pitcher Lindsay Wilhelmson's delivery to left field for a double, barely missing a home run. Wilhelmson was then pulled and Saturday's starter, Jessica Slataper, took the mound in relief.
Missouri manufactured another run in the fourth inning. Schelert reached base on a walk, stole second, advanced to third on a Mettlach single, and scored on a passed ball. After the Tigers put their fourth run on the board, Slataper took control and struck out the next three Missouri batters to end the inning.
The Tigers struck again in the fifth when Rachel McGinnis' seventh home run of the year sailed over the scoreboard in left to raise the MU lead to 5-0.
Slataper suffered the loss in relief for Texas A&M and fell to 8-8. Fleeman (4-5) threw three innings of hitless relief and picked up the win for Missouri.
The Aggies return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Waco to face the Baylor Lady Bears (24-16, 0-5). First pitch at Getterman Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m., and live audio and live statistics will be available on aggieathletics.com.