| Sophomore Rudi Cantu posted her team-leading 14th multi-hit game of the season on Wednesday. |
SAN ANTONIO ? Sophomore Rudi Cantu went 2-for-3, but Stacy Delaney struck out nine in a six-inning shutout, as Missouri earned a split of the two-game non-conference series with a 9-0 victory at UTSA on Wednesday.
The Tigers, who are receiving votes in both major polls, improved to 31-8 on the season, while the Roadrunners fell to 16-13. It marked the first time UTSA was run-ruled at Roadrunner Field since April 26, 2003, a span of 88 games.
Delaney allowed just one hit through the first four innings and four for the game in running her record to 14-3. Rhea Taylor led a 12-hit attack with three hits, three RBIs, two runs and a pair of stolen bases, while Jen Bruck and Andee Allen collected two hits apiece for the Tigers.
Junior Leanne Risberg and sophomore Kelly Cato joined Cantu, who registered her team-leading 14th multi-hit game of the year, in the hit column with a base knock apiece for the Roadrunners.
Missouri manufactured a run in the top of the first, as Taylor led off with a single up the middle, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a ground ball to second.
The Tigers tacked on four in the second, taking advantage of three UTSA errors. Amanda Renth reached on a fielding error by the shortstop and pinch runner Lisa Simmons eventually moved to third after a single and groundout. A failed pick off at third allowed the first run of the inning to cross and two hits and two more errors later and the Roadrunners were down, 4-0.
Run-scoring singles by Bruck and Julie Silver extended the Tigers’ lead to 7-0 in the fifth, but UTSA threatened in the bottom of the frame with three hits and a fielder’s choice to load the bases with two outs. Delaney worked out of the jam with a pop-up to short right field.
A two-run single by Taylor in the sixth put the eight-run rule into effect and Delaney worked a perfect half-inning to end the game.
Holmes struck out three, but allowed four earned runs on five hits in four innings of work in falling to 5-5 on the season.
The Roadrunners host New Mexico at 6 p.m. on Thursday.