OXFORD, Miss. – Mizzou Softball (24-18, 7-8) bounced back in a big way on Sunday, beating No. 17 Ole Miss (30-11, 9-5), 5-2, on a rainy afternoon at the Ole Miss Softball Complex. With the win, Mizzou has won more conference games this season already than it did all of last season.
Sophomore P Cassie Gasper was brilliant once again for the Tigers, going 4.0 innings while only allowing one run to score. She picked up three strikeouts and was clutch all afternoon, helping the Tigers strand 12 Rebel runners throughout the day.
Junior P Eli Daniel registered her fifth save this season, the most by a Tiger in over 12 years. She was near flawless in her 1.2 innings pitched, not allowing a hit while only walking one. She also recorded two strikeouts.
TOP TIGERS
- Sophomore DP Kara Decker came up big again, getting things going in the fourth-inning rally with an RBI single to tie the game at one.
- Senior 1B Kolby Romaine led the way for the Tiger offense, as she was the only Mizzou player with multiple hits. She would finish the game 2-3 with a run scored, an RBI and a walk.
- Sophomore C Hatti Moore had another nice outing, going 1-3 with a run scored at the plate, while also adding her fourth throwdown this year.
TURNING POINT
Gasper and Molly Jacobsen of Ole Miss looked to be headed for another low-scoring pitchers' duel, as the Rebels held a narrow 1-0 lead after three. Mizzou's batters finally figured out Jacobsen in the fourth though, putting up a five-spot that would give the Tigers the lead for good.
Things got started when Decker rolled a RBI single out to right field that would score Moore. Romaine would then rip a double to deep left, and Wert would scoot home for the score. Things really started to go the Tigers' way after that, as an E2 would score two, plating sophomore PR Abby George and Romaine. Freshman PH Emma Raabe put the icing on the game following that, hitting a sac-fly to deep center to score redshirt freshman 2B Kendyll Bailey.
Gasper would walk a run home in the sixth inning, but Daniel would close the door after that.
QUOTEABLES
"When you get great pitching, all you need is a few things to go your way offensively," Coach Anderson said. "Cass and Eli were both fantastic for us. Stranding 12, that's impressive. All of our runs came in one inning, which just goes to show that hitting and offense are both so often contagious. Loved the fight from this group today after two tough games on Friday. No quit in this group."
UP NEXT
The Tigers return home for a Thursday-Friday-Saturday series against Texas A&M this weekend. All games will be streambale on SEC N+.
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).
