Courtesy of Missouri Athletics
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Junior IF Corrin Genovese concluded a 4-for-4 day with a game-winning single in the bottom of the eighth as No. 15-seed Mizzou posted a 6-5 win over Bradley on Friday at University Field in the second game of the NCAA Softball Columbia Regional. The Tigers, who led 4-0 with two outs in the top of the seventh before surrendering five runs, rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh to send the game to extra innings.
Mizzou (42-16) advanced to the winner’s bracket in the Regional and will play Kansas on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at University Field. Bradley (27-31) faces Nebraska at 6 p.m., with the losing team eliminated from the NCAA Tournament.
The Tigers loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the eighth following a walk to redshirt sophomore OF Taylor Gadbois, a hit from sophomore 2B/OF Emily Crane and another walk to junior 1B Kelsea Roth to set the stage for Genovese. The junior completed her perfect day at the plate with a single through the left side to easily score Gadbois and give the Tigers the dramatic 6-5 win.
With two outs in the frame, Mizzou starter Casey Stangel issued consecutive walks before Brave 1B Alyson Clemente ended the shutout bid with a three-run home run in the top of the seventh. Bradley then added two more runs off Stangel to take a 5-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh.
Genovese started the Tiger rally in the bottom of the seventh with her third double of the day, followed by an error and a walk to load the bases with just one out for the Tigers. A sacrifice fly to right field by freshman C Kirsten Mack scored Genovese to knot the game at 5-5, but the Tigers could not add more, sending the game to extras.
Senior P Alora Marble pitched 1.1 innings in relief to record the win and improve her 2014 record to 7-1.
Genovese smacked three doubles to go along with her game-winning single on her perfect day at the plate. The three two-baggers tied a Missouri single-game record, while her four hits set a new career best.
Crane also added three hits for the Tigers in the victory.
The Tigers wasted no time getting on the board with a run in the bottom of the first. Gadbois hit a leadoff double and advanced to third on a groundout. A bunt single by Crane drove in Gadbois as Mizzou took the 1-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the fifth, Missouri erupted for three runs to take a 4-0 lead. After a walk by junior 3B/C Angela Randazzo, Genovese blasted her second double of the game to score sophomore pinch runner Sarah Moore. Another walk, this time for senior OF Mackenzie Sykes, put runners on the first and second for Roth. The junior came through with a single up the middle to plate Genovese, while Sykes advanced to third on the play. Sykes came around to score on freshman pinch hitter Natalie Fleming’s liner to left. Freshman IF/OF Kelli Schkade seemed to extend the inning with an infield single, but Roth was thrown out at the plate to end the rally.
