@MizzouSoftball Bounces Back Saturday, Tallies 5-1 Win at No. 5 Georgia

Saturday, April 7

Athens, Ga.

5 pm

University of Missouri

21-20, 4-10

(#5) Georgia

34-5, 10-4

Missouri

Georgia

@MizzouSoftball Bounces Back Saturday, Tallies 5-1 Win at No. 5 Georgia

4/7/2018 9:03:00 PM | Softball

Box Score

Tigers’ offense busts out 12 hits while Rice shuts down the potent Bulldogs hitters

ATHENS, Ga. – Mizzou Softball (21-20, 4-10 SEC) bounced back in a big way Saturday evening with a 5-1 victory over No. 5 Georgia to even the weekend series. The Tigers saw production up and down the lineup, highlighted by three multi-hit performances and four players with an RBI.

In the circle, Lauren Rice was magnificent as she limited the Bulldogs to only one run in a complete game effort. It marked Rice's team-leading third victory in Southeastern Conference play this year with two of them coming against nationally ranked foes – tonight vs. No. 5 Georgia, March 31 vs. No. 13 LSU.

#ShowMe Top Performers

Cayla Kessinger: 2-4, R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI
Rylee Pierce: 3-3, R, 2B, BB
Regan Nash: 3-3, R, RBI, SB
Rice: (W) 7.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 5 K

Hear From Coach Fogue

On Saturday's win and squaring up the series…

"We came into tonight's game with a lot of confidence, even after last night's disappointing loss. Our offense saw the ball well last night and we carried that into tonight's at bats. If it wasn't for some outstanding Georgia defense, we could've easily had 15-plus hits tonight against some really good pitching. In the circle, Lauren (Rice) stepped up and pitched well in a big game like she has many times this season. We got a lot of confidence built up these past two nights and need to carry that into tomorrow's series finale."

#MIZ Takeaways

Mizzou earned its third nationally ranked victory of the season Saturday, joining previous wins against No. 20 Mississippi State (March 17) and No. 13 LSU (March 31).
The Tigers' 12 hits on offense matched their season-high output in an SEC game this year, joining their outburst on March 17 against Mississippi State.
Reaching the scoreboard first has been crucial for Mizzou this season. The Tigers accomplished that Saturday, improving to 15-2 this year when scoring first.
Mizzou has also done extremely well when possessing a late lead, as they now hold a 12-1 record this year when leading after six innings.
The Tigers also improved to 18-1 this year when out-hitting their opponent. Mizzou out-hit Georgia Saturday, 12-7.
Pierce recorded her second-straight multi-hit game of the series, as she went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate. The Visalia, California, native's three hits tied her career-high, which she's now accomplished on five separate occasions.
Nash also produced an unblemished 3-for-3 night at the dish, matching her single-game career-best in hits for the fourth time.
Kessinger's mammoth two-run home run in the seventh was her sixth long ball of the year. With 15 games remaining in the regular season, she only needs one more home run to set a new single-season career-high in the category.

Up Next

The series will be on the line Sunday afternoon at Jack Turner Stadium, as Mizzou and Georgia square off at 1 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the action live on SEC Network + via WatchESPN.

Visit MUTigers.com for the latest information on all things Mizzou Softball. You can also find the Tigers on social media by liking us on Facebook (University of Missouri Softball Team) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@MizzouSoftball).