Tigers win 10-2 in only six innings
In a season where everything felt hard for Mizzou softball, this game was a nice change of pace. The Tigers run-ruled SIUE 10-2 in six innings.
Mizzou scored two runs in the first inning behind some good ol’ fashioned small ball. Five separate Tigers managed to reach base despite only finishing with two hits. Claire Cahalan led off the inning with a single, before Nevaeh Watkins reached first thanks to catcher’s interference; a double steal put both runners in scoring position.
Taylor Ebbs scored the first run on a groundout fielder’s choice to the second basemen, allowing Cahalan to score. An Abby Hay walk put runners on the corners, before Stefania Abruscato scored Watkins with a single to right field.
(Cal Tobias/Rock M)
“When you look at what our record is when we score first, we’re on the winning side,” head coach Larissa Anderson said. “It’s really important for this team to be able to score early, so then they don’t feel that pressure.”
Mizzou added two more runs in the second inning, racking up an early 4-0 lead. Kayley Lenger led off the inning with a solo HR with a deep shot into center. Cahalan walked before stealing second, getting to third off an error on a ball that Madison Walker put into play. This brought up Ebbs who grounded out AGAIN, but knocked home Cahalan for RBI No. 2.
SIUE cut the lead to three in the top of the 3rd inning after some small ball of their own. An error followed by a single and a fielder’s choice bunt put runners on the corners with one out. This allowed the Cougars to double steal on catcher Abruscato, who was standing in for the injured Julia Crenshaw behind the plate.
The Mizzou offense stalled for two innings before scoring 2 more runs in the fifth. After a leadoff walk from Abruscato, Madison Uptegrove smashed the ball over the center field wall, giving Mizzou a 6-1 lead. This marked her 3rd collegiate home run in her freshman year.
(Cal Tobias/Rock M)
“It’s hard to be confident when you’re new and you don’t really know what’s going on,” Uptegrove said. “But I feel like throughout the season, I’ve kind of developed some confidence so I feel better in the box and on the field no matter what’s happening.”
SIUE scored one more run in the top of the 6th, behind a pair of hits and a walk. Taylor Pannell looked unbeatable outside those two innings, pitching the full six innings while giving up two runs and four hits. She finished with EIGHT strikeouts and put together three 1-2-3 innings. This marked Pannell’s fourth career start, all of which came this year.
“I just think the pitch calling worked really well,” Pannell said. “I thought the rise and curveball both moved really well today, and it was exciting to get another start.”
(Cal Tobias/Rock M)
The offense walked it off with four runs in the bottom of the sixth, reaching the 8 run mercy rule at 10-2. Ebbs added her 3rd RBI of the day to score a runner from 2nd after a leadoff walk. With runners on second and third, Uptegrove added to her RBI total with a single. Kayley Lenger walked it off with a triple to bring home Uptegrove and secure the 10-2 Tiger win.
Mizzou improves to 22-24, and needs to win six of their final nine games to finish above .500 and qualify for the NCAA Tournament. Their next test is against No. 1 Texas A&M – the 3rd top team they have hosted this season.
“We have to take it one game at a time,” Anderson said. “It’s winning each inning…if we focus on winning each inning and don’t get caught up in what this pitch means or what this game means, then we’re going to enjoy the moment. And when we enjoy the moment, we play very free, and we’re more successful when we enjoy the moment, and we play in that atmosphere.”
The first game is on Thursday at 6 p.m on SEC Network+.