The Missouri Tiger softball team finds themselves in the same position they were at about this same time last year. After beating number 18 Illinois yesterday 3-1, the Tigers need one more win today over the Illini to win their second consecutive NCAA Regional Championship.
Mizzou starting pitcher Kristin Nottleman was the star in the circle as she would toss a complete game. She would give up just one run and struck out eight. This is her 12th complete game of the season.
The Tigers and the Illini will play today at 1:00. If Illinois would win, the two teams would play in an elimination game that would start at 3:00 this afternoon.
Mizzou would get on the board first thanks to an RBI single off the bat of Ashley Fleming. The hit would score Rhea Taylor who had singled to start the inning. She then proceeded to steal second and third base. Taylor scored for the 60th time this season, which is the second most ever in a season for the Tigers.
Illinois would tie the game in the third. In the fourth, the Tigers would break the tie with a solo home run from Nicole Hudson. That was her ninth of the season and her 38th RBI of the season.
In the bottom of the sixth, Mizzou would add one more run when Ashley Fleming drove in her second RBI of the day. This would be a single that scored Princess Krebs.
It is deja vu for Mizzou as they will once again play Illinois this afternoon in the Columbia Regional Championship game. That game will start at 1:00.
If Illinois should win, then there would be an elimination game between the two teams this afternoon at 3:00.