[bewildered gif]
GAME ONE: Same Story, Different Day
Stop me if you’ve heard this before. Tiger pitching gives up a multi-run inning that puts the game out of reach as the offense can’t make anything out of its limited chances.
It’s the same story, just a different day. On Wednesday against the Salukis in a 5-3 loss, it was Marissa McCann who allowed a three-run home run. On Friday in Starkville against #16 Mississippi State in a 7-0 loss, it was Cierra Harrison who allowed two-run shot in the bottom of the second.
Once Harrison came out in the sixth after allowing five runs (four earned) to go with five hits, a walk and a strikeout, it was Nathalie Touchet who came in and allowed another three runs as two walks and a muffed fielder’s choice loaded the bases for a sacrifice fly and a two-run double to put the game away.
Now, about that anemic offense… The Tigers went down 1-2-3 in the first before getting two runners on in the second on a two-out Abby Hay single and a Madison Uptegrove walk. A foul out ended the threat, though, and that was basically the Tigers’ only chance. In the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, they went down 1-2-3 again.
A disturbing trend is emerging, and as we get deeper and deeper into season with just three series left, if the Tigers don’t get things figured out, and IMMEDIATELY, they face a very real possibility of missing the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2006.
After going 30 games without being shut out, the Missouri Tigers (20-22) have been shut out five times in the last dozen.
- #1 OU 8 | MIZ 0 — 1 hit, 1 walk, 1 HBP, 4 strikeouts, 4 LOB
- kU 3 | MIZ 0 — 4 hits (2 doubles), 5 walks, 3 strikeouts, 7 LOB
- #19 OLE MISS 1 | MIZ 0 — 2 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts, 4 LOB
- #1 TEX 8 | MIZ 0 — 0 hits, 0 walks, 11 strikeouts, 2 LOB
- #16 MSST 7 | MIZ 0 — 2 hits, 1 walk, five strikeouts, 3 LOB
So how do they fix it? I honestly don’t know, you guys. And I’d like to think that HCLA has an idea, but we haven’t talked to her since last Sunday after the Texas loss. There was no media availability this week due to a scheduling conflict, and then the assembled media was told after waiting about 20 minutes of waiting on Wednesday night’s loss to Southern Illinois that there would be no interviews. We can’t read her mind.
SAVING ALL THE OFFENSE FOR GAME TWO
Just when you think a five-run lead is safe… May I introduce you to the 2025 Missouri Tigers? But wait, it doesn’t end there, as this was a wild and wacky game.
After a four-run first inning, brought on by a… [takes deep breath]… Julia Crenshaw hit by pitch, Nevaeh Watkins single to left, Madison Walker sac bunt single, two-run Taylor Ebbs double, RBI Abby Hay single, Stefania Abruscato double and a costly one-out error to Sophie Smith, it looked like the Tigers, who have outscored their opponents this season 47-29 in the first inning, had turned a corner. When they added another run off a new pitcher in the top of the second on a Kayley Lenger solo shot to center, they looked golden.
That is, however, until the bottom of the second, when State decided to get involved. A single to left was followed by a popout to put one away before another single to left put two on for Wesolowski, who doubled to center to make it 5-1. A walk loaded the bases for Sacco, who, what do ya know… hit a grand slam to make it 5-5. Neat.
The score remained knotted until the top of fourth, when the Tigers’ offense again let loose. Uptegrove laced a leadoff double to right center before a fielding error on a sac bunt put runners at the corners for Lenger, who was hit by pitch to load the bases. Crenshaw then singled allow the Tigers to regain the lead, 6-5, and marked the end of the day for the pitcher, Sosa. She was replaced by Chaffin, who was responsible for Friday’s two-hitter. However, the Tigers got to Chaffin this time.
With Chaffin in the circle and the bases loaded, a controversial call reversed the initial hit-by-pitch call on Watkins, who was struck on the hands while swinging before officially striking out. Perhaps looking to avenge her fallen teammate (she was okay, but looked like she took quite a stinger), Walker launched a grand slam to center field to give the Tigers a 10-5 lead. Ebbs almost made it back-to-back shots, as hers to right hooked just foul in right field, before she eventually struck out. Hay then hit a double to right center gap and Abruscato followed with one of her own on the opposite side, making it 11-5.
In the sixth, Ebbs tacked on an additional run to make it 12-5, and it turns out Mizzou would need almost all of these runs to withstand a Bulldog comeback. A leadoff single in the bottom of the sixth was followed by a one-out single up the middle to put two on for the new Tigers’ pitcher, Kruse. A double down the right field line by Barbary made it 12-6 before a flyout ended the threat. State wasn’t done though, as in the bottom of the seventh, Kruse allowed a leadoff single up the middle and a walk before an RBI single made it 12-7, ending her day. In her place entered Pannell, who came in and allowed an RBI single to make it 12-8. A fielder’s choice took out the runner at second, but left runners at the corners and fear in Tiger fans’ hearts for Sacco, who thankfully struck out to end it. I don’t know about you all, but I had a strong feeling that if that game had gone on one more inning, we might have seen a different end result.
GAME 3: Same Story, Different Day x2
Sigh.
For what felt like two seconds, it seemed like we were going to see the “good” Tigers today. Taylor Ebbs gave the Tigers a 2-0 lead on a two-run shot in the first, but the problems for Cierra Harrison in the bottom half started quickly as she allowed two singles and a walk to load the bases for ‘Tiger Killer’ Weslowski, who doubled down the right field line to make it 2-2.
Things would just implode from there.
Harrison misfired again in the second, allowing a leadoff solo home run to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead. After a bunt single and an errant throw by Walker at third, CC’s day was done and McCann was brought in. While she didn’t allow any other runs that inning, she also wasn’t exactly sharp, and it would just get worse from here. So much worse.
In the bottom of the third, because we really were just stuck in a simulation at this point, McCann allowed a leadoff homer to make it 4-2. After a single, McCann induced a pair of strikeouts before being called for a pitch clock violation that ended up with a walk to put two on an RBI single up the middle to make it 5-2.
A one-sided game of Home Run Derby broke out in the bottom of the fourth, as a two-run shot to left center quickly made it 7-2. That was followed by a single, walk, wild pitch, and oh yeah… another home run, Sells’ second of the day, to make it 10-2.
Mizzou went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the fifth, ending the game in run-rule fashion. And a promising start ended with a disappointing thud as Chaffin was able to hold the Tigers to just two hits in Game 3 (her second two-hitter this series). Hell, the only baserunner they had after the first inning was an Abruscato hit by the pitch in the second. That was IT.
The Tigers are still searching, and I have no answers, no real analysis because my gif choices. Should we hear from Larissa this week, we’ll be sure to pass it on. They are back home again on Tuesday at 5pm to face SIUE before welcoming in #3 Texas A&M for a three-game set Thur-Sat.
Time is rapidly running out for this team, so I ask again, in my best Slim Shady voice, will the real Missouri Tigers please stand up?