The Missouri junior single-handedly helped seniors Stephanie Falk and Karen Williams walk off University Field for the last time as winners with an RBI single to beat Kansas 4-3 yesterday.

For Jacoby it was her second clutch hit of the game. After struggling to connect against KU pitcher Kara Pierce in her first two at bats, Jacoby singled and score a run to make it 3-1 in the sixth.

"I just relaxed, saw the ball and hit it like I knew I could," Jacoby said. "She was throwing the drop ball but I had been a sucker for the rise ball the whole time. I knew that if I was patient at the plate, I’d get the hits I needed. It was very overdue."

The seniors helped their own cause of winning their final home game with strong performances.

Williams, the team’s leadoff hitter and No. 9 in the country batting .439, got a crucial hit in the seventh when she slapped a hit past the infield trap and beat out the throw from the shortstop to first.

Prior to that hit she was 0 for 3, including a controversial call when the home plate umpire called Williams out after a ball she bunted foul appeared to hit her, which Williams said that it did not.

"I was kind of frustrated after getting called out after that bunt," Williams said. "But I told myself that I’m not leaving this field for good without a hit."

Falk, the team’s No. 1 pitcher in each of her four years, had another solid game, pitching seven innings and striking out three in addition to going 2 for 3 and scoring a run.

But usually cool under pressure, Falk allowed Amy Hulse and Christi Musser to score on a two-RBI single by pinch-hitter Sandy Smith in the top of the seventh to tie the score at 3.

By allowing the two late runs, Falk gave Williams a chance to get one last hit.

"In my opinion, Stephanie did that for me, so I can get one more at bat," Williams said. "It’s always nice to finish a game in the bottom of the seventh, especially against KU. It’s better to end that way."

Falk disagreed.

Missouri seniors Stephanie Falk, left, and Karen Williams leave the field after their final home game. Mark Schiefelbein photo

"We could have done a couple of things to keep them out of scoring position in the seventh, but I guess it makes it more interesting this way," she said. "To come through in the end, to load the bases in the seventh and come through with a key hit was beautiful."

With the loss, Kansas dropped to 31-25 and 10-8 in the Big 12.

Missouri (30-26, 5-11) end the regular season ranked No. 8 in the conference and will have to beat No. 9 Texas in a play-in game Wednesday to move on to play No. 1 Nebraska in the Big 12 Softball Tournament in Oklahoma City.

Missouri split a weekend series with the Longhorns earlier in the year.

"This win gives us confidence in that we can put the bat on the ball and score some runs and it gives us some momentum going into the tournament," MU coach Jay Miller said. "We just got to relax and play. We played Texas before and beat them and we want to keep that going.

"Stephanie and Karen, those are our two leaders and they’ve been carrying us on their shoulders this year. They showed it again today. Hopefully they have a little more on their shoulders and carry us for another week or two."