| Senior Amanda Nikolenko (left) shut down Missouri on Tuesday night and junior Leanne Risberg backed her with a two-run home run in a 4-1 victory. | |
SAN ANTONIO ? Senior Amanda Nikolenko shut down a potent Missouri offense and junior Leanne Risberg went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer to lead UTSA past the Tigers, 4-1, in non-conference softball action on Tuesday night at Roadrunner Field.
Nikolenko, pitching against the Big 12 power located less than an hour from her hometown of Ashland, Mo., allowed just one run on four hits in running her record to 8-6 on the season. The right-hander struck out four and gave up just one walk in winning her UTSA-record 62nd career game, giving her sole possession of four all-time records (wins, strikeouts, innings, starts).
Nikolenko, who has allowed just three earned runs over her last 16.2 innings, retired 10 Tigers in a row, as UTSA defeated a Big 12 team for the second time this season (Texas / Feb. 9).
The Roadrunners improved to 16-12 on the season and 68-18 at Roadrunner Field dating back to 2004. Missouri, which is receiving votes in both major polls, fell to 30-8.
Risberg led a nine-hit output by the UTSA bats with her sixth multi-hit game of the season. Sophomore Rudi Cantu and freshman Danye Holmes also collected two hits apiece, while senior Kourtney Jones, sophomore Krista Sitka and freshman Whitney Balch had a hit each.
UTSA struck for a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Cantu reached on an infield single and Risberg followed with a base hit through the middle to move Cantu to third. Holmes then grounded a single through the right side of a drawn-in infield to put the Roadrunners on the board. Balch followed a strikeout and a groundout with a sharply-struck base hit back to the pitcher that plated Risberg and put UTSA up, 2-0.
Missouri quickly answered as Bruck helped her own cause by leading off the top of the second with her 10th home run of the season over the left field fence. Lindsey Ubrun followed with a single to left, but Nikolenko worked out of the jam with a strikeout, a fielder’s choice and a pop-up.
Risberg’s two-run blast, her fourth round-tripper of the season, in the fourth plated Cantu, who drew a leadoff walk, and chased starter Jan Bruck from the circle.
Meanwhile Nikolenko and her right arm cruised for the Roadrunners, as she retired 10 consecutive batters until allowing a leadoff walk to Abby Vock to start the sixth. Rhea Taylor followed with a single to left field to give Missouri runners on first and second with no outs. Nikolenko worked out of the jam with a fielder’s choice, a fly ball to right and a foul-out to the second baseman behind the bag at first.
The Tigers put a runner on with two outs in the seventh, but a fly ball to right field off the bat of Katie Milles ended the game.
Bruck allowed four runs on eight hits in falling to 8-4 on the year. Bruck also was one of four Tigers with a hit apiece against Nikolenko. UTSA also controlled the speedy Missouri lineup that entered the game with 90 stolen bases on the season, allowing none for the game.
The two teams will conclude the series at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.