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It had been awhile since Team Missouri had come up victorious at the annual Mo-Kan All-Star Softball Series.

Jessica Brewer made sure the drought didn’t last any longer. Behind Brewer’s penchant to serve as an offensive catalyst, Missouri scored a series sweep against Kansas — 3-0 in game one and 3-1 in game two — to break a seven-year losing streak in the annual all-star border war Monday, June 8, at Shawnee Mission District Softball Complex in Shawnee, Kan.

"We just wanted to show them what Missouri is made of," said Brewer, a recent Liberty High graduate who’s heading to Emporia State University next year. "When I was up to bat that last time, I knew the situation, and I just had to wait for a pitch that I could take somewhere. It’s always exciting when you can contribute to the team’s win. This is just for fun out here, but it’s a lot more fun to win."

Brewer single-handedly made sure that happened. The all-star outfielder collected three hits against two pitchers bound for the NCAA Division I level in the doubleheader, none bigger than her eventual game-winning, two-run single that broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning of game two. Brewer also scored the game-winning run in the first inning of game one.

But she certainly had plenty of help. Kearney’s Keri Lorbert went 3-for-3 and helped ignite a pair of Missouri rallies. Lauren Eisenreich of Blue Springs collected four hits on the night.

However, it was shortstop Sarah Elliot of Platte County who came away with Most Valuable Player honors for Team Missouri. Elliot had two clutch hits, one in each game, and turned in several defensive gems, including an inning-ending double play in the fifth inning of game two to keep a 1-0 deficit from expanding.

"We had several kids step up big, make huge plays, have big hits," said Team Missouri head coach Roger Lower of Blue Springs. "It’s nice that they played as well as they did. It’s a fun time, and the fact that we play well and win makes it even better."

In the first game of the night, Missouri jumped ahead early thanks to a two-run single from Eisenreich, and then Lorbert came off the bench and delivered a pinch-hit RBI single in the second inning. Blue Springs South pitcher Taylor Keal did the rest of the work, dealing a four-hitter where no Kansas runner ever reached third base.

Kansas turned the tables in game two, putting runners in scoring position in every inning but one. However, Winnetonka’s Lauren Sharp pitched out of several jams, thanks in large part to the leather thrown by the defense behind her.

Sports writer Chris Geinosky can be reached at 389-6654 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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