Feb. 11, 2007

Box Score

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For Immediate Release
Contact: Brandon Kolditz
wkolditz@memphis.edu, (901) 871-5475

Missouri (2-3)	000   002   1  --  3  7  2
Memphis (4-1)	100   204   X  --  7  9  0
2B - (MIS) A. White (1), S. Stringer (1)
     (MEM) B. McNulty (2), L. Kelso (1)
HR - (MEM) H. Mott (2, 3).
WP - J. Kubesch (2-1). LP - J. Hainey (0-2). Save - None.

BATON ROUGE, La. - A four-run sixth inning rally and two home runs from freshman Heather Mott propelled the University of Memphis softball team to a 7-3 victory over Missouri on Sunday at the Easton Tiger Classic at Tiger Park.

The win puts Memphis (4-1) in the tournament's championship game at 2 p.m. today against tournament host No. 7 LSU (5-0). The Lady Tigers suffered a 3-1 loss to LSU on the first day of the tournament.

Mott put the Lady Tigers on the board first against Missouri with a solo shot in the first inning off the scoreboard in center field. Memphis then loaded the bases with two outs after two Missouri errors and a walk, but was unable to capitalize on the miscues.

Mott gave Memphis a three-run lead in the fourth inning with her second homer of the day, a two-run shot to center. The Pensacola, Fla., native is the third player in Memphis history to hit two home runs in a game and joins teammates Bridgette McNulty and Leila Dolfo who both did it last season.

The Missouri bats came alive in the sixth inning. A.J. White led off with a double and Andee Allen was hit by the pitch to put runners at first and second. With one out, Sarah Stringer lined a ground ball that got through the infield and rolled all the way to the warning track in center field to clear the bases. Stringer tried for third on the hit and, after an appeal, was called out after stepping off the bag. The out proved huge for Memphis at the time as the next batter, Micaela Minner, lined a single to first that would have tied the score.

Memphis answered with a two-out rally in the sixth inning to score four runs on four hits. Sophomore left fielder Leandra Hines got the Lady Tigers started with her second bunt single of the game. After a walk to Mott, Hines was driven in by a single up the middle from senior Kara Ross. McNulty then hit an RBI double and was followed by a two-run double from Lindsay Keso.

Having earned her third-career no-hitter the day before, senior Memphis pitcher Jenna Kubesch (2-1) gave up a leadoff single to Mizzou. She then retired seven-straight and went into the fifth inning before allowing a second hit. Kubesch finished the game with a season-high eight strikeouts.

Notes
• Today's game is the second meeting between Memphis and Missouri. Memphis leads the series 2-0.
• Freshman Heather Mott hit her second home run of the season in the first inning off the scoreboard in center field. She then added a two-run shot to center field in the fourth inning. Mott is the third player in the program's history to hit two home runs in a game joining Bridgette McNulty and Leila Dolfo who both did it in 2006.
• After throwing a no-hitter the day before, Missouri singled off Jenna Kubesch to begin the game. Kubesch then retired seven-straight before allowing a walk in the third inning. Missouri didn't get its second hit until the top of the fifth inning.
• Leandra Hines went 2-for-3 in the game with both hits coming on bunts. She scored both times.
• Sophomore Lyndsey Sterling made her first appearance of the season in the game, coming in as a pinch runner in the sixth inning.
• Senior Kara Ross knocked in her fourth RBI of the season on a single up the middle in the sixth inning.
• Senior Bridgette McNulty hit her second double of the season, an RBI shot down the left field line in the sixth inning.
• Junior Lindsay Kelso drove in her first two runs of the season in the sixth inning on a double to center field.
• Senior Christi Morrison made her first plate appearance with Memphis in the sixth inning.
• Senior Jenna Kubesch struck out a season high eight batters.