By Taylor Burlingame

Mizzou softball started out Southeastern Conference play rough on Friday in a 1-0 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs in the first of a three-game series. A slacking offense and two unfortunate errors were what put the Tigers on the bottom side of the low-scoring game.

The offense of the Tigers was virtually nonexistent, with only two hits that both came in the first inning. One was by right fielder Brooke Wilmes while the other one was from third baseman Kim Wert.

Defenses battled strongly for the majority of the game and both teams remained scoreless until the top of the fifth inning, where the Bulldogs scored the one and only run of the game. A costly error by Mizzou’s first baseman, Kolby Romaine, led to the score.

Despite their offensive struggle, the Tigers had a solid pitching performance by Madi Norman (6-5). In this pitcher’s duel she recorded five strike outs and gave up only four hits, staying on the mound for all seven innings. Georgia pitcher Mary Wilson Avant (6-1) took the win for the day, giving up only two hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

Edited by Garrett Jones (gcjh23@mail.missouri.edu)