University of Missouri
Florida
No. 11 Mizzou Falls to No. 1 Florida, 9-6
5/2/2015 3:44:00 PM | Softball
Power hitting by Sanchez and Cousins not enough to take down Gators
COLUMBIA, Mo. - No. 11 Mizzou softball (37-13, 13-10) dropped game two of its series against the No. 1 Florida Gators (49-4, 18-4), 9-4. The Tigers amassed nine hits in the contest on Saturday afternoon (May 2) in front of 2,325 fans. Amanda Sanchez (West Covina, Ca.) and Alyssa Cousins (Carrollton, Texas) blasted home runs for the Tigers' 68th and 69th home runs in 2015, putting the current squad at second all-time in the Mizzou softball record books for long balls in a single season.
Sophomore Pitcher Tori Finucane (Germantown, Md.) pitched through a jam in the top of the first inning after loading the bases with one out. A ground ball to Sanchez allowed the Tigers to turn a 5-2-3 double play to end the Gators' threat.
A leadoff home run to left field by Taylore Fuller put the Gators on top in the second inning, 1-0. Finucane bounced back to retire the next three batters. Mizzou responded in the bottom half of the frame. Natalie Fleming (Silex, Mo.) led off with a single up the middle. An RBI single ripped up the middle by Angela Randazzo (Poway, Ca.) brought Fleming around to score and tie the contest, 1-1.
Florida used a two-run home run by Bailey Castro to put up a four-spot in the fourth frame to make it a 5-1 Gator lead. Florida again loaded the bases with one out in the top of the fifth. The Tigers only allowed one run to score as they got their second bases loaded double play.
Florida eventually increased its lead to 9-1 before Mizzou began chipping away. The Tigers plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth. Emily Crane (Troy, Mo.) led off with a single, followed by another single by Mack. Sanchez came to the plate and knocked an 0-2 pitch over the right field fence to cut the Florida deficit to five.
Cheyenne Baxter (Norborne, Mo.) pitched an efficient seventh inning working around two Gator hits with three ground ball outs. Cousins came into pinch hit for the Tigers and quickly belted her second career home run, crushing the ball over the left field wall to slice the deficit to 9-5.
Ocasio hit the next batter and gave up a single to Sami Fagan (Dunnellon, Fl.) before being taken out for sophomore Delanie Gourley. Sanchez again came through for the Tigers, singling on the first pitch to bring around Kayla Kingsley (Oklahoma, City, Ok.) and cut Florida's lead to 9-6. Gourley was able to induce ground out to end Tigers' comeback attempt.
No. 11 Mizzou Softball closes regular season play against the No. 1 Florida Gators on Sunday (May 3). First pitch is set for 12 p.m. CT and the game will be streamed on SEC Network +. For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter @MizzouSoftball.
