Baxter beats her old team
This week proved to be a confidence builder for Ehren Earleywine and his Missouri softball squad.
The Tigers recently dropped out of the nation’s top 25 rankings on April 10 after back-to-back losses to No. 25 Arkansas. After only taking one of three games against No.7 Auburn last weekend, Earleywine’s team needed a week to bounce back before Friday’s matchup against No. 20 Kentucky.
And bounce back they did.
After sweeping a doubleheader against SEMO on Tuesday and scoring 23 runs in two games, the Tigers came in to Wednesday afternoon’s matchup vs. the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks with a 25-18 record and renewed confidence.
With senior Cheyenne Baxter (14-5) in the circle against her former team, Missouri’s offense picked up right where it left off, defeating the Mavericks 7-4.
“I was a little excited,” Baxter said. “I was wondering if I’d ever get to play them after I transferred from then in 2015. Actually, I was a little more nervous. In SEC play, I’m usually not. But tonight I was like ‘I know these girls and kind of (have to) prove myself.’ So, a little bit of nerves.”
The Tigers quickly capitalized on several costly errors by the Nebraska-Omaha defense, scoring four unearned runs in the first. In the second inning, senior Kirsten Mack smacked a two-run homer over the left field fence, her fourth home run in five games.
“I’m feeling good and I’m seeing the ball well,” Mack said. “I don’t know what has really contributed to that other than I know I have to be short with my swing. The brace I’m currently playing in doesn’t allow my swing to be long.”
Senior Natalie Fleming added the Tigers’ seventh and final run of the game in the third with a solo shot to center.
Redshirt-sophomore pitcher Madi Norman took over the circle for Baxter in the fifth. The Tigers’ defense held on, even as the Mavericks tried to mount a comeback, tacking on four runs including senior Nicole Warren’s two-run homerun in the seventh.
Missouri will look to continue its success at the plate when the Tigers face Kentucky this weekend. The Wildcats are ranked No. 28 in the nation in earned run average.