The wait left Missouri groggy.
The Tigers appeared sluggish after rain delayed their game against Texas Tech for four hours Saturday, losing 1-0 to the Red Raiders at University Field and ending an 11-game home win streak.
Texas Tech (22-34, 2-15 Big 12 Conference) scored the winner in the seventh inning. Andrea Joachims hit a full-count triple to right field to score Kelly Rhyne, who had singled then reached second on a sacrifice bunt.
Close calls filled Joachims’ at-bat. On the fourth pitch, Joachims, a senior, hit a foul ball just to the right of the first-base line for her second strike. The umpire called the next pitch a ball.
“It was very, very close and I knew since he didn’t call, it’s meant to be; I have to get a hit,” Joachims said. “I had to capitalize on that next pitch. I got it done, so I was happy about that.”
The Red Raiders, last in the Big 12 conference, last won March 27 against Iowa State.
Neither team committed an error, but the Red Raiders had four hits to Missouri’s one. In the third inning, Samantha Fleeman hit a single and stole second. No other Tigers reached base.
“We were tentative at the plate and very anxious at the plate,” Missouri coach Ty Singleton said. “When you’re in the hunt, to have such a poor effort is heartbreaking. You work all year long to get to this point, so it’s very disappointing.”
Missouri (23-23, 10-4) entered the weekend third in the conference and expected to sweep Texas Tech, Fleeman said.
The loss likely ends the Tigers’ hopes to win the Big 12 title, Singleton said.
“We win today, and win tomorrow, we’re going to Lincoln to play for the Big 12 title,” Singleton said. “So that’s why I don’t understand why there’d be some sort of the doldrums today. I’m totally boggled by that to be honest.”