WICHITA -- Behind five home runs on the day, the Missouri Tigers swept Wichita State in a doubleheader at Wilkins Stadium on Wednesday.

In the first game of the doubleheader, Missouri got a two-run homer from Kathryn Poet and strong pitching performance from Stacy Delaney to beat the Shockers 3-2.

The Shockers got on the board first in the game, scoring a run on an RBI single from Cynthia Verhulst. Katie McGeeney doubled to open the inning and moved in to score on Verhulst's 17th RBI of the season. McGeeney scored her team-leading 31st run of the season on the play.

After a scoreless second and third inning, the Tigers knotted the game at 1-1 in the fourth. Leadoff hitter Rhea Taylor tripled to open the inning, and later scored on an RBI single from Julie Silver.

The Shockers responded in the fifth with a run, to take a 2-1 lead on a squeeze bunt play from Kara L'Huillier. Kiersten Dixon, who had walked to open the inning, moved around and scored from third in L'Huillier's perfectly placed bunt.

But, in the sixth inning, Poet took an Ashly Bright offering over the centerfield wall with a runner on second to build a 3-2 lead.

Dixon reached on an error in the seventh, but relief pitcher Jana Hainey entered and retired McGeeney and L'Huillier to preserve the victory.

In the nightcap, the Tigers picked up where they left off with a two-run homer in the top of the first. After Julie Silver reach on a bunt single, Lindsey Ubrun tagged a home run over the right field fence for an early 2-0 lead.

Missouri added another run in the top of the third on an RBI single from Abby Vock.

The Shockers got the offense rolling in the bottom of the fourth three-straight one-out singles. After a fielder's choice left the bases loaded with two outs, pinch-hitter Jessica Spencer laced a two-RBI double down the right field line to score freshmen Heather Gerritse and Jamie Hull to bring the score to 3-2.

In top of the fifth, however, Ubrun struck again with her second two-run homer of the game. The Tigers added two more in the inning on a single by Andee Allen to push the score to 7-2 in favor of Missouri.

The Shockers cut into the lead with a run in the bottom of the fifth. McGeeney opened the inning with a line drive in the right centerfield gap for a double and later scored on a groundout to second base by Britnee Barnett.

But in the top of the sixth, Ubrun hit a three-run shot for her third homer of the game to chase Brianna Smet. Cynthia Verhulst entered in relief but the Tigers' Amanda Renth followed with a solo home run. Missouri added one more in the inning to build a 13-3 lead.

In the bottom half, Jamie Hull hit a two-run blast after Heather Gerritse reached on a single to bring the score to 13-5, before the Tigers retired the final three batters of the game.

Wichita State will be back in action this weekend at home with a weekend series against Valley foe Bradley beginning with a doubleheader at Noon on Saturday.

--Wichita State--