March 29, 2014
Box Score |
Notes |
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#16 Mizzou 6, #13 Georgia 3 |
Time: 1:40 Att.: 1,020 |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | F | |
| Georgia | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| MIZZOU | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| Pitching | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
| W - Stangel (12-4) | 7.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| L - Glasco (13-2) | 6.1 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Hitting Leaders | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | HR |
| MIZ - Sykes (3-for-4) | 4 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| UGA - Wilson (2-for-3) | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
COLUMBIA, Mo.- No. 16 Mizzou Softball got its knockout punch from senior OF Mackenzie Sykes (Blue Springs, Mo.), who launched a three-run, walk-off home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to down No. 13 Georgia, 6-3. Trailing 3-2 heading into the final frame, Mizzou (25-8, 4-4) manufactured a four-run rally to seal the dramatic, comeback victory over the Bulldogs (29-5, 5-3).
The Tigers struck first in the bottom of the opening frame. Redshirt sophomore OF Taylor Gadbois (Maryville, Mo.) led off the inning with a sharp single through the left side, extending her school-best hitting streak to 29 games. After a fielder's choice and a walk put runners on first and second, Sykes lined an RBI single to right field, giving Mizzou a 1-0 lead.
Mizzou added a run in the second inning on the clutch bat of redshirt sophomore SS Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fla.). Redshirt sophomore 2B Ashtin Stephens (Blue Springs, Mo.) legged out a one-out infield single to get things going. Gadbois hit into a fielder's choice on the following at bat, but the speedster swiped second to move into scoring position. Fagan cashed in, roping a two-out RBI knock up the middle to increase the Tigers' advantage to 2-0.
The Bulldogs answered swiftly in the third, tying the game with a two-out home run. Freshman P/OF/1B Casey Stangel (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) tossed 7.0 efficient innings on Saturday, striking out two and holding Georgia's potent offense to just five hits.
With the game deadlocked at 2-2, the Bulldogs used small ball to tack on a go-ahead run in the fourth after a leadoff double, a groundout and a sacrifice fly. The two squads traded scoreless innings behind stingy defense. Georgia tried to add to its lead in the top of the sixth frame with runners on the corners and one out, but a nifty 6-4-3 double play from Mizzou silenced the scoring threat.
With their backs against the wall heading into the final frame, the Tigers responded in style. Gadbois singled to left and stole second base to start the rally. Junior 3B/C Angela Randazzo (Poway, Calif.) lifted a single to left field two batters later and Gadbois raced home to tie the game at 3-3. Junior 1B Kelsea Roth (Yorba Linda, Calif.) followed with a single to put two runners on. That's when Sykes capped the come-from-behind win, swatting the walk-off long ball over the left field bleachers.
The Tigers will look to sweep the Bulldogs when the two teams square off in the final game of the series. The first pitch at University Filed is set for 12 p.m., Sunday.