LEXINGTON, Ky. - Mizzou Softball (15-12, 4-4) rallied once again to beat No. 13 Kentucky (21-9, 6-2), 11-8, at John Cropp Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Mizzou charged back from a 5-0 deficit to hand Kentucky its second straight loss after the Cats had won 12 straight. The series win marks the Tigers' first road SEC series win since they took down Mississippi State in Starkville back in 2016 (April 29 – May 1) and the first back-to-back series wins in conference play since the Tigers beat then-No. 16 Texas A&M and Mississippi State in 2016 (April 23 – May 1).

Sophomore P Cassie Gasper registered her second win in as many days, going 5.2 innings, registering three strikeouts and allowing only three runs against the 25 batters she faced. Senior P Madi Norman nabbed her first save of the season, getting the last two outs of the game to secure the win for the Black & Gold.

TOP TIGERS

• Sophomore RF Brooke Wilmes had another big day at the plate, keying the comeback with a three-run homer in the top of the second inning. She finished 1-4 with two runs scored and three RBI.  
• Redshirt freshman 2B Kendyll Bailey continued her stellar weekend, hitting her second career home run in the third inning to cut the lead to just one. Bailey finished the game 1-2 with two runs scored and two RBI.
• Freshman DP Geana Torres slammed her fourth homer of the season in the top of the fifth. She finished 1-2 at the plate while drawing a game-high three walks.
• Sophomore 3B Kimberly Wert also had a three RBI day, as her lone hit was a three-run double.
• Freshman SS Jazmyn Rollin continues her impressive run, as she was one of just two Tigers with multiple hits in the game. She finished 2-3 with two RBI and a run scored.
• Sophomore C Hatti Moore continues to showcase her improved hitting, as she again registered two hits. Moore also registered two RBI.

TURNING POINT

The Tigers found themselves in another hole, as they trailed the Wildcats 5-0 after a huge first inning, including a grand slam. Mizzou would immediately answer though, as Wilmes' three-run bomb would cut the lead to just two. Though Kentucky would get one back, the Tigers would hang five runs on the Cats in the top of the third to go up 8-6 courtesy of Wert's three-run RBI double.

Kentucky would get two runs back, one in the fourth and one in the seventh, but Mizzou would get two more in the fourth and one in the fifth courtesy of Torres' solo shot. In the end, Norman would come in to close, and the Tigers would hang on to win their second straight.

QUOTEABLES

"We are starting to believe," Coach Anderson said. "I know I keep saying it, but the quality at bats for us make such a big difference. We shrink the strike zone, and then we get the pitches we want. We are never out of any game. This team is starting to sense that."

UP NEXT

The series finale between the Tigers and Wildcats is set for tomorrow morning at John Cropp Stadium. First pitch is set for 11 a.m. CT, and the game will be streamable on SEC Network +.

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