Feb. 10, 2006
ATLANTA – Freshman Whitney Haller went 2-for-4, with a home run and three runs batted in, and senior Christine Sheridan went 2-for-4, with four RBIs in game one, to lead No. 24 Georgia Tech to a split with No. 18 Missouri, 11-6 and 5-8, on Friday at Glenn Field. The Tigers rallied late in game two as Micaela Minner hit a three-run home run and Jaci Schuyler smacked a two-run home run to plate five runs in the seventh inning for Mizzou.
Haller finished the afternoon 4-for-7, with three runs scored, one home run and three RBIs. Sophomore right-handed pitcher Whitney Humphreys (1-0) picked up the win in relief in game one, throwing the final 5.2 innings, scattering six hits, allowing two runs, two earned runs and fanned five.
In game one, the Tigers jumped out in front of the Jackets in the top of the first inning with two runs courtesy of a two-run home run by Janessa Roening.
In the top of the second inning, MU’s Amanda Jo White connected on the game’s second home run, followed by two walks and two singles to give Mizzou a 5-0 lead after.
Sheridan drove in the game’s first run for Tech with a two-out RBI single up the middle to plate sophomore Kacey Ivey who reached on a bunt single. With runners at second and third, Haller smashed her first collegiate home run over the center field fence to bring the Jackets within two, 6-4, after five innings of play.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning, Tech freshman Blair Shimandle drove in senior Amy Hosier on a slow roller back to the circle as the Jackets trailed 6-5. Freshman Aileen Morales tied the game with an infield RBI single and Sheridan followed with a bases clearing three RBI double to left-center field to give Tech its first lead of the game, 9-6. Sophomore Savannah Brown drove in the sixth run of the inning for the Jackets on a sacrifice fly to left field to plate Sheridan and Hosier followed with a single to right field to score Haller as Tech went on to win 11-6.
Tech scored 11 runs, on nine hits and committed two errors, while MU scored six runs, on 11 hits and had two errors.
Game two began much the same way as game one as Missouri used the long ball to jump out in front of the Yellow Jackets 2-0 on a two-out two-run home run by Amanda Renth.
With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth inning, junior Caitlin Lever drove in the first run for Tech with a sacrifice fly to the warning track in center field as the Jackets trailed 2-1. Shimandle followed with an infield single to third base to load the bases with one out. Sophomore Stephanie Butler drew a walk to force in the trying run for Tech and Ivey drove in the go ahead run on an infield single up the middle to plate Brown as the Jackets took their first lead of the game 3-2.
Renth struck again for the Tigers in the top of the sixth inning with a solo home run to right field to tie the game at 3-3.
Tech regained the lead on a wild pitch as Shimandle came in from third base to score and Sheridan followed with a RBI single up the middle to score Morales as Tech led 5-3 after six innings.
In the top of the seventh inning, Mizzou’s Minner blasted a two-out three-run home run over the right field fence to give the Tigers their second lead of the game, 6-5. MU’s Schuyler connected on a two-run home run for the Tigers to push the lead to three runs, 8-5.
Freshman left-handed hurler Lacey Richardson (0-1) threw the final six innings, allowing six runs, six earned runs, on eight hits and struck out seven.
Tech scored five runs, on nine hits and had one error, while Mizzou scored eight runs, on nine hits and had no errors.
The 24th-ranked Jackets and 18th-ranked Tigers will play the third and final game of the series on Saturday. The single game will start at Noon at Glenn Field.
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