Tigers defeat Lady Miners

The softball team is having trouble filling their schedule.

By Greg Young

Published April 17, 2009

Despite getting off to slow offensive starts in both games of their doubleheader against an overmatched Missouri University of Science and Technology squad, the No. 10 Missouri softball team swept the Lady Miners in both games of the doubleheader, winning the first game 10-2 and the second 6-0.

The Tigers closed out their non-conference schedule 30-3 over the Division II squad. Missouri had solid pitching performances from senior Stacy Delaney in the first game and junior Jana Hainey in the second. The Tigers trailed for the first four innings of the first game after the Miners struck for two runs on a sacrifice grounder and an RBI single in the top of the second inning.

"I don't think we were ready to play today," coach Ehren Earleywine said about the middling offensive start. "I told them going into the game it doesn't matter who you play, you have to respect your opponent. I don't think we did that today. We were fortunate that they let us back in it."

Missouri woke up in the fourth inning, scoring on an error and a wild pitch to tie the game. By the fifth inning, after home runs from senior infielder Lindsey Ubrun and junior infielder Gina Schneider, Missouri was in control.

In the second game, the Tigers again started out slow again, not scoring until the bottom of the third inning. In the second game the Tigers were paced with three RBI doubles from senior outfielder Micaela Minner.

Minner, while saying Missouri's focus from game to game was something that they would fix, said that overall, Missouri is playing "pretty awesome as a team."

"We are really excited," Minner said. "We are playing every game like the next game."

One positive sign was the performance of Hainey, who allowed only three hits and struck out three batters. Hainey's last appearance was against Kansas, where she gave up a walk off three run homer to the first batter she faced. Hainey said that her changeup, which has given her problems in the past, was important against Missouri S&T.

"I was pretty happy to get some innings," Hainey said. "It was nice to get out there."

Earleywine admitted after the game he scheduled Missouri S&T as a last resort, after he received rejections from Drake, Arkansas State, Illinois, Southeast Missouri State and Southwest Missouri State during the offseason.

"Nobody will play us, that's the truth," Earleywine said. "I don't know why that is."

It's hard to blame them. The Tigers are in first place in the Big 12 with an 8-2 mark in conference, and are in the top 10 in the NCAA in stolen bases, earned run average and batting average.

All of that means Missouri can't even fill their regular season schedule. The NCAA limit for games that can be scheduled is 56, but Missouri only has 52 games this year.

"I suggested home and all I get in e-mail responses is that we aren't interested this year," Earleywine said.