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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Jordan Weber led the way for the Tigers in their NCAA Regional-opening game. Weber allowed only one hit as the Tigers took care of business in an 8-0 six inning victory.
Mizzou was able to set the tone early. Brooke Wilmes led off the bottom of the first inning with a towering blast to right field, giving the Tigers an early 1-0 lead. The home run gave the 2021 Tigers the program record for most home runs in a season with their 83rd as a team.
The scoring did not stop there, however. Cayla Kessinger ripped a single into right to add one more for Mizzou, after singles from Hatti Moore and Kimberly Wert.
TURNING POINT
Weber was mowing down the UIC batters with four strikeouts through three innings. The Tigers jumped back on the board in the third. Jenna Laird and Hatti Moore got it started with two singles. With runners on second and third, Kimberly Wert smashed an 0-1 pitch off the left field wall, resulting in an RBI single. The second runner was thrown out attempting to score. With Wert on second, Cayla Kessinger ripped an RBI single, advanced to third on an errant throw by the center fielder and scored on a throwing error from the pitcher. The Tigers led 5-0 through three innings of play.
Hatti Moore brought in another run for the Tigers in the fourth, with an RBI single to right. Weber continued to keep the Flames’ bats quiet with a pair of strikeouts in the top half of the fourth and one in the fifth.
A bloop single with one out in the sixth ultimately broke up Jordan Weber’s no-hit bid. She was able to secure the one-hit shutout, as Hatti Moore singled into right to score two runs in the bottom of the sixth and walk it off.
TOP TIGERS
Jordan Weber was dominant for Mizzou in this contest. She held UIC to only one hit while striking out seven batters. She moved to 11-5 while surpassing 100 innings for the season.
Hatti Moore went 4-for-4 at the plate with three RBI, including a two-run single to walk it off.
Brooke Wilmes set the tone in the contest with a massive blast to right field to lead off the game for the Tigers. It was her ninth home run of the season.
Cayla Kessinger went 3-for-3 on the night with a pair of RBI. Her second single of the night turned into a little league home run after a pair of errors.
NOTES
Brooke Wilmes’ home run gave the 2021 program the single-season home run record. The previous high was 82 in 2005.
Wilmes moved into a tie for ninth in Mizzou history with 72 hits in a single season.
Hatti Moore set a career-high with four hits in the contest.
Cayla Kessinger recorded her third three-hit game of the season.
Weber tossed a six-inning one-hit shutout for the second time on the season. She took a no-hit bid into the fifth in each contest. The first was against Florida Atlantic (Feb. 21).
UP NEXT
Mizzou advances to the winner’s bracket to face off with Northern Iowa, who defeated Iowa State 8-0 in the first game of the Columbia Regional. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. CT. Television and streaming is still to be determined.
