COLUMBIA, Mo.- The Wichita State softball team fell to 9-12 on the season after No. 3 Missouri (18-2) swept a doubleheader on Wednesday afternoon at University Field.

Game One

Shocker starter Katie Armagost worked out of trouble early, but could not get out of a jam in the third. Rhea Taylor led off the inning with a triple to left and scored on a Jenna Marston double. Those were the first two of four-straight MU hits that made it 3-0 before the first out was recorded.

Kasha Kolb entered the game in relief, but not before the Tigers had taken a 6-0 lead.

The Shocker offense struggled against MU pitcher Kristin Nottelmann, who went 4.0 innings allowing just a Kiersten Dixon bunt single in the first inning.

WSU's best chance at a comeback came in the fifth, when Lindsie Mitts led off the inning with a double over Taylor's head in center field. But new pitcher Jana Hainey retired the next six batters she faced.

Ashley Fleming's sixth inning two-run homer gave the Tigers an 8-0 run-rule victory.

Armagost took the loss for WSU, going 2.1 innings allowing six earned runs.

Game Two

It was much of the same in Game Two as Ashley Fleming's second two-run homer of the day gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. But WSU starting pitcher Kasha Kolb settled down after the homer and retired eight of the next nine batters she faced.

An error put Kolb in a bind in the fourth, but the sophomore got Catherine Lee to line out to second to end the inning.

Down 2-0 the Shockers looked to get back in the game in the fifth when with one out and a runner on first, Holly Eckert doubled down the left field line to put runners on second and third. Tiger ace Chelsea Thomas bore down and got Kersti Rowan and Kiersten Dixon to strike out to end the threat.

MU expanded its lead in the bottom half of the inning and again it was Rhea Taylor that got the ball rolling with a one-out double. After Jenna Marston was hit by a pitch, Fleming picked up two more RBI with a single up the middle, while Kathryn Poet's RBI single chased reliever Brianna Smet from the game.

The Tigers picked up two more runs off of Kolb, who re-entered the game, making it 6-0.

Freshman Hayley Temple provided a bright spot for the Shockers in the top of the seventh. Leading off the inning, the Mesa, Ariz., native took Jana Hainey's 0-1 pitch over the wall in left-center for her first collegiate home run.

Hainey retired the next three batters to give MU a 6-1 win.

Kolb took the loss for the Shockers, falling to 4-6 on the season.

WSU opens up conference play this weekend as it hosts UNI, March 20-21, at Wilkins Stadium. First pitch for Saturday's doubleheader is set for noon. Saturday is Family Day at Wilkins Stadium where fans can purchase four tickets and get coupons for four hot dogs, four popcorns and four drinks.