Box Score
Columbia, Mo. - No. 21 Mizzou Softball dropped the series finale, 5-4, to No. 9 Georgia on Sunday, April 5 in Athens. The Bulldogs edged the Tigers despite a solid performance in the circle from sophomore Tori Finucane (Germantown, M.D.). Mizzou falls to 24-9 (6-6) on the season.
Finucane threw 5.2 innings in the circle, giving up three earned runs on six hits while striking out three. The sophomore hurler kept the Tigers' offense in the game throughout, but Mizzou could not take advantage.
The Tigers took a quick lead in the top of the first. With two outs in the inning, Mizzou strung together two walks and a single to load the bases. Senior Kelsea Roth (Yorba Linda, Calif.) worked a full-count walk in a solid at bat to plate a run.
The 1-0 lead was erased by a Georgia solo home run in the bottom of the first. The Bulldogs jumped in front 2-1 in the fourth when an error and a wild pitch scored a runner from first.
Freshman Amanda Sanchez (West Covina, Calif.) collected her third hit of the series and the second of the game in the fifth inning. The base knock put runners on first and second with two outs, but a sharp ground out ended the rally.
Georgia tacked on two crucial insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth, but Mizzou answered the bell in its final turn at the plate. Juniors Taylor Gadbois (Maryville, Mo.) and Emily Crane (Troy, Mo.) hit back-to-back infield singles to set the table. Two Georgia errors allowed two runs to cross, cutting the Tigers' deficit to 4-3. With two outs and runners on first and third, sophomore Jordan Zolman (Arbyrd, Mo.) smoked a clutch pinch-hit single to left, tying the game at 4-4.
A pair of walks allowed Georgia to mount a rally in the bottom half of the seventh and an RBI single polished off the Bulldogs' walk-off result.
Mizzou is back in action Wednesday in a doubleheader vs. Northern Iowa with first pitch set for 4 p.m. at University Field. For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on twitter @MizzouSoftball.