This one had a little bit of everything, and the Tigers will head to the SEC Tourney in no worse than sixth place.
Last one, best one?
That’s what we’re hoping for, anyway.
Fresh off a 2-0 shutout in Game 1 and with inclement weather on the way, Game 2 was moved up to an 11am start time and wow, what a game. This one had everything— drama, hit batters, a weather delay, errors, obstructions, collisions with coaches, 20 stranded runners and culminated in guaranteeing Mizzou’s first conference series win of the season and no worse than sixth place in the SEC final standings.
How’d we get here? Did the Tigers forget they were playing in the OTHER Columbia? I kid… Let’s get started.
That’s an SEC ROAD Series DUB for YOUR TIGERS!!! #OwnIt #MIZ pic.twitter.com/D6mX0lYFyb
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) May 4, 2024
Balanced Offense
Five different Tigers recorded hits in Saturday’s game, and another three reached base either by walk, fielder’s choice or hit by pitch. Jenna Laird (2-for-4 with a run scored and 2 stolen bases), Stefania Abruscato (3-for-3 with an RBI) and Julia Crenshaw (0-for-2, 2 FC, 2 runs scored) were the day’s biggest producers.
The Tigers came out aggressive against Kansas City native and Stanford grad transfer Alana Vawter and it was awesome to see and kinda reminded me of their approach against Auburn’s Maddie Penta. Back-to-back singles by Laird and Alex Honnold to the right side put two on for Maddie Gallagher, whose sacrifice fly made it 1-0. Honnold then swiped second and Abby Hay walked before a Crenshaw fielder’s choice moved runners to the corners with one out. Abruscato, who delivered her first of three hits on the day, walloped a single to the right side — the same spot as Jenna & Alex! — to make it 2-0.
It’s a two-hit día for Stefania Abruscato!!! #Mizzou 2, SC 0 | T3#OwnIt #MIZ | @StefaniaAbrusc1 pic.twitter.com/TcW71pSXYb
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) May 4, 2024
In the third, Crenshaw was awarded first due to catcher’s interference before an Abruscato single (to the same spot as before!) put two on for Kara Daly, who smacked an RBI single to make it 3-0.
In the fifth, Abby Hay worked a leadoff walk before Danielle Blackstun took over for her on first. After another Crenshaw fielder’s choice — her second of the day — Abruscato singled to third and Daly followed with a fielder’s choice of her own to put runners at the corners. A single by Katie Chester, who originally had been in the game as a PH and stayed in at DP, scored Crenshaw to make it 4-0. In a weird twist of events within the same AB, the inning abruptly ended after Daly, taking a wide angle when rounding third due to the South Carolina 3B blocking the inner corner of the bag, took out Larissa Anderson on her way home, which slowed her progress and she was called out. A review ensued for the aforementioned obstruction call, but it went no further. Don’t worry, Coach is fine.
Let’s take a look.
Truly wild hahhaa pic.twitter.com/ZLSyUtLqYZ
— Karen S (@karensteger) May 4, 2024
The managers shared an even better view. L O L.
Screw it Kara Daly highlights pic.twitter.com/uAntYFQs3E
— The GOAT Managers at Mizzou (@MIZSBmanagers) May 5, 2024
Big Day for Relievers
I don’t know if the wet conditions had any impact early on, but Missouri starter Cierra Harrison didn’t have her best stuff in Game 2 and lasted just 1.2 innings. Though she didn’t allow a run, CC constantly worked around base runners, escaping a bases loaded jam in the first inning with an infield fly and a flyout, and in the second, after a 14-minute rain delay, again loaded the bases before ultimately being removed from the game.
In 1.2 innings of work, Harrison allowed two hits, two walks and two hit by pitches while striking out one. Coach has mentioned to us several times that due to CC’s small stature, she has to put her entire body into her pitches in order to generate the power she needs for her rise, and I suspect she just didn’t have it today, as she threw a whopping 50 pitches in not even two innings of work.
In CC’s place entered Marissa McCann, who worked a long relief role and stepped in with the bases loaded and two outs and promptly got out of it with a strikeout to end the second. Ice in her veins!
Marissa McCann with a STRIKEOUT to leave the bases juiced!! #Mizzou 2, SC 0 | E2#OwnIt #MIZ | @marissamccann04 pic.twitter.com/X4zKWOcERb
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) May 4, 2024
From there, in her 4.1 innings of work, McCann allowed some contact— a double and single in the both the third and the fifth put a run on the board each time — but she also showcased a truly devastating change up that fell off almost into the dirt to strike out four while allowing just one walk.
4⃣ Ks on the day for Marissa McCann!!! #Mizzou 4, SC 2 | E5 #OwnIt #MIZ | @marissamccann04 pic.twitter.com/UXhKekzZjG
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) May 4, 2024
The seventh saw the return of the closer, Taylor Pannell, who notched her nation-leading 12th save with a superb performance, She indirectly contributed to the first out after a ball was tipped off her glove that went right to Laird at short, who fired it to first for an out, before inducing a flyout to right to put two away. A single up the middle just delayed the game’s conclusion for a minute or two longer, and Pannell struck out the final batter, who was – perhaps poetically – the South Carolina pitcher Alana Vawter, on three straight strikes, none of which she swung at. Wow.
SEC Road Series Secured ✅#Mizzou 4, SC 2 | F | #OwnIt #MIZ pic.twitter.com/F9WHHuSPaT
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) May 4, 2024
Left on Base Gone Wild
This could have been a much different ball game, friends, as TWENTY runners were left on base by the game’s end, 12 of which came from South Carolina. The Gamecocks actually outhit the Tigers in this one, hitting .310 (9-29) to Mizzou’s .296 (8-27), but while Mizzou hit .375 with runners on and .300 when in scoring position, SCar hit .267 with runners on (4-15) and only .143 (1-7) when in scoring position. Again, it could have been a much different ballgame had the Gamecocks gotten a few things to break their way.
Here’s the per inning tally (hide your eyes):
1st: Mizzou strands 2 | S. Carolina strands 3
2nd: Mizzou strands 2 (4 total) | S. Carolina strands 3 (6 total)
3rd: Mizzou strands 2 (6 total) | S. Carolina strands 2 (8 total)
4th: S. Carolina strands 1 (9 total)
5th: Mizzou strands 1 (7 total) } S. Carolina strands 1 (10 total)
6th: Mizzou strands 1 (8 total) | S. Carolina strands 1 (11 total)
7th: S. Carolina strands 1 (12 total)
Game One: Mizzou 2 — South Carolina 0
Since I didn’t provide a Game 1 recap… here’s a mini version. (Note: with the early start, I was only listening to the game until the fourth inning or so.) Pitching reigned supreme as Laurin Krings and Marissa McCann combined for a three hit shutout to start the series. Krings started the game and was incredible in her five innings of work, allowing just three hits and a walk to go with three strikeouts before McCann came in to close it out, earning her second save of the season. Krings’ scoreless streak is now at 12 innings, and she’ll take the ball again in Game 3 to go for win no. 13.
After failing to capitalize on their baserunners early on against freshman phenom Sage Mardjetko, the Tigers finally got a run in the fourth after an RBI single from Kara Daly up the middle that brought home Julia Crenshaw, who had gotten on with a two-out double. On the play, which featured a rare SC error, Daly was able to take second on the throw.
In the fifth, the Tigers had a chance to add to their lead after Kayley Lenger laid down a successful bunt and reached on a subsequent stolen base and Alex Honnold worked a two-out walk, but a fly out ended the threat.
In the sixth, Abby Hay worked a four-pitch walk before Blackstun, the PR, advanced on a Crenshaw sac bunt. Katie Chester, the Pinch-Hit Queen (or so it seems these days) smacked an RBI single to left, and she advanced on a throwing error. It seemed like the Tigers would add another run that inning after Abruscato was hit by a pitch, but ultimately, a double play — SC’s 30th (!) of the season — ended it there.
With McCann back out in the circle to close out the seventh, the defense came firing on all cylinders. Mya Dodge, who took over in left field, made a nice grab for out one, before Kara Daly saved what would surely have been an extra base hit with a diving stop (video below). A groundout to Gallagher ended it, and Mizzou moved to .500 in SEC play.
KARA DALY, Ladies and Gentleman #Mizzou 2, SC 0 | B7 #OwnIt #MIZ l @karadaly09 pic.twitter.com/cAWCUhQPLQ
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) May 3, 2024
Five different Tigers recorded each of the team’s five hits, an additional two more reached with walks, and yet two more with hit by pitches. Mardjetko, who we expect to get the ball in Game 3 on Sunday, while largely limiting runs and stranding seven Missouri runners, was not especially sharp on Friday.
No Tiger player recorded a multi-hit game on Friday, but Laird (1-3, double, BB, FC), Daly (1-2, RBI) and Crenshaw (1-2, double, sac, R) especially impressed.
Series-Opening Shutout DUB ✅#OwnIt #MIZ pic.twitter.com/m8iWHDX3VA
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) May 4, 2024
UP NEXT: Sunday, weather permitting, Missouri will close out their regular season with (hopefully) a sweep of the team in Columbia (L)East. Game time is set for 2pm on SEC+.