COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Senior Miriam Wegmann (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville) went 2-for-2 with a walk and nearly tied the game with a single off the wall in the sixth inning, but 12th-ranked Missouri handed Bradley its first loss in NCAA Regional play, topping the Braves 2-1 Saturday afternoon at University Field. Bradley (26-27 overall) will play the winner of the 4 p.m. elimination game between Illinois and 20th-ranked DePaul at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Micaela Minner led off the top of the second inning with a single up the middle and came around to score on a double down the left field line off the bat of Lindsey Ubrun as Missouri (47-9 overall) took an early 1-0 lead.
The Braves had runners at second and third with one out in the bottom half of the second inning after back-to-back singles by senior Miriam Wegmann (St. Louis, Mo./Oakville) and junior Jacqueline Vitale (Indian Head Park, Ill./Lyons Township) and a sacrifice bunt. Missouri was able to get out of the inning, however, when first baseman Marla Schweisberger made a diving catch on a squeeze play and doubled off Wegmann at third to end the inning.
Senior pitcher Ashley Birdsong settled down after Ubrun's RBI double, retiring the next nine batters in order as the Braves trailed 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.
Senior Anne Creighton (Glide, Ore./Glide) reached on a Missouri error with two outs and freshman Jackie Roth (Hickory Hills, Ill./Stagg) drew a walk, but Mizzou's Rhea Taylor atoned for her earlier miscue in the inning with a diving catch in left center field to end the frame.
Taylor led off the top of the sixth with a single and moved to third after a stolen base and sacrifice bunt. The Tigers added an insurance run when Kathryn Poet ripped a double to right center field with a full count to drive in Taylor from third and push Missouri's lead to 2-0. A Bradley error and a walk helped Missouri load the bases, but Birdsong got Andee Allen to groundout to end the threat.
The Braves nearly tied the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Senior Alycia Bachkora (Overland Park, Kan./Notre Dame de Sion) was hit by a pitch and Wegmann hit a line drive off the wall in left field to put runners at first and second with one out. The runners moved to second and third on a wild pitch and Vitale drove in pinch runner Megan O'Malley (Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove) with a sacrifice fly which sailed to the warning track in right field. Missouri right fielder Micaela Minner saved another potential run when she made a running catch in right center field on a ball hit by junior Amanda Clack (Hillsboro, Mo./Hillsboro) to end the inning as the Tigers took a 2-1 lead into the seventh inning.
Birdsong retired Missouri in order in the top of the seventh and junior Lauren Meister (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) had a two-out pinch hit single in the bottom half of the inning, but Missouri hurler Stacy Delaney struck out the next batter to close out the 2-1 Mizzou victory.
Delaney picked up the win in relief of starters Kristin Nottelman, giving up two hits and one run over four innings to improve to 15-3 on the year. Birdsong struck out six and walked one, while scattering seven hits in her school-record tying 28th complete game of the season. She fell to 20-11 on the season, ending her 10 game win streak in the circle.
The loss also snapped the Braves 10-game win streak and Bradley will now face the winner of today's 4 p.m. game between Illinois and 15th-seed and 20th-ranked DePaul at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Saturday's game will be broadcast in the Peoria, Ill., area on 101.1 FM Hippie Radio.
