Missouri softball shuts out Mississippi State
| April 28, 2024 | Sports,
The No. 14 Missouri Tigers entered Saturday’s game against No. 9 Mississippi State knowing they needed a victory.
After starting the regular season well, the Tigers mostly treaded water throughout Southeastern Conference play. Luckily for Larissa Anderson and her squad, the SEC is so good, it hardly affected the Tigers in the rankings. However, with only six games remaining on Missouri’s schedule, this series against the Bulldogs became vital as they jockey for postseason position.
The Tigers ultimately answered the call, beating Mississippi State 4-0 at Missouri Softball Stadium.
Missouri’s Abby Hay started the scoring in the first after Alex Honnold and Maddie Gallagher reached base on a lined shot single to left. At least that’s what it looked like off the bat, but as Bulldog left fielder (and TikTok star) Brylie St. Clair ran up to field it, she allowed it to slip right under her glove and dribble all the way to the wall.
Both Honnold and Gallagher were able to come in and score to make it 2-0, while Hay motored around all the way to third with only one out. Missouri was unable to extend the lead as Aspen Wesley quickly retired Stefania Abruscato and Kara Daly.
Lauren Krings opened her night a little differently than usual. Instead of her usual strikeout-centered approach, she pitched to contact. She retired the first six Mississippi State batters with a defensive assist, yet didn’t give up a hit until shortstop Kylee Edwards led off the third with a single.
In the fourth, Krings decided to start blowing some hitters away. She struck out Nadia Barbary, Jessie Blaine, and Ella Wesolowski sandwiched around a walk to superstar first baseman Madisyn Kennedy. However, she couldn’t help the Tiger bats extend the lead past two.
That would be Abby Hay’s job.
In the bottom of the fifth, Laird and Honnold hit back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Maddie Gallagher had a chance to drive in some runs, but struck out to bring up Hay once again. She then hit a grounder to second base, where Salen Hawkins ranged to her right up the middle, grabbed it and threw home in a desperate attempt to nab Laird.
No chance. 3-0 Missouri.
As Krings fought her way through the sixth inning, aided by a 5-4-3 double play off the bat of Kennedy, Taylor Pannell warmed up in the Tiger pen. She is chasing Missouri’s single-season saves record, and probably hoped to get a chance to add on to that.
However, Mizzou’s offense decided tonight was not that night. With Chantice Phillips on second after an error charged to Kennedy, Laird hit a sky-high pop that normally would end the inning. This time, it was perfectly placed in no-man’s land in front of the center fielder where none of the three Bulldog fielders who converged could catch it. Suddenly, it was 4-0, and the save was no longer in order for Pannell.
That meant Krings had to finish it. She did, getting the final three Bulldogs in order to finish off a much-needed victory. The final inning was much like her first two, with two ground ball outs and a pop fly to right field to end the game. The level of pitchability displayed from Krings tonight was unbelievable. She didn’t allow more than a single baserunner in an inning, and was never seriously threatened by Mississippi State’s lineup.
With the win, Missouri moves to 35-13 (9-10 SEC), and has two more against these Bulldogs before finishing out its season at South Carolina.
Mississippi State falls to 30-15 (9-10 SEC), and finishes out its season at home taking on Georgia.
Editor’s note: Missouri secured its series win over Mississippi State Sunday, winning 4-1 on senior night.