Mizzou softball gains a hard earned split against Illinois.

Mizzou softball gains a hard earned split against Illinois.

No. 16/19 Missouri met the University of Illinois on Wednesday in a neutral-site doubleheader at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo. With bragging rights on the line for the border teams, neither team could come away with the sweep.

Illinois blanked the Tigers, 3-0, in the first game, behind a five-hit gem from freshman Brandi Needham. The Illini jumped out to a 3-0 midway through the second game, but a two-out rally by Missouri in the bottom of the fifth helped the Tigers beat the Illini, 9-6, in game two, securing the split. Missouri is now 23-8 (2-4 SEC).

In game one, Mizzou sophomore Taylor Gadbois went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, but got thrown out twice trying to score, and Sami Fagan, Angela Randazzo and Casey Stangel had the remaining three Tiger hits, all singles. Tori Finucane (9-4) went the distance for Mizzou, allowing three runs, one earned, on seven hits and three walks, striking out eight.

Illinois had a 3-0 lead, but a two-out rally in the bottom of the fifth, including an inside the park home run by Natalie Fleming, led Missouri past the Illini in the second game for a doubleheader split.

Missouri put together 10 hits as a team, including four doubles and that inside the park home run. Angela Randazzo was 3-for-3 with two runs and two RBI, while Corrin Genovese was 2-for-3 with two RBI. Casey Stangel (11-4) hurled the complete game for the Tigers, allowing six runs, five earned, on 11 hits and no walks, and striking out six.