LOS ANGELES - Mizzou Softball (35-25) had its season ended by No. 2 UCLA (49-6), as the Tigers lost the decisive game seven, 13-1. The game was only forced because the Tigers played their best game of the year in game six, grinding out a 5-1 win over the Bruins. It was only UCLA's sixth loss all season.
All of Mizzou's traveling pitchers took to the circle in the doubleheader. Redshirt senior Madi Norman threw a gem in her game one start, shutting out the Bruins over her 4.1 innings pitched. Though she would give up a run, junior P Eli Daniel was nearly as good, as she went 2.2 innings with three strikeouts to pick her 11th save this season, far and away the most ever by a Missouri pitcher in a single season. Daniel would get the start in game two, but would be quickly pulled in favor of sophomore P Cassie Gasper, who went 2.2 innings. Summer Shockley would also get a full inning of work in the fourth.
TOP TIGERS – Game One
- Sophomore CF Brooke Wilmes was simply spectacular against UCLA in game one, going 2-4 at the plate, including a monster home run in the sixth inning to put the game away. Wilmes would finish the game with two runs and two RBI.
- Senior LF Regan Nash was also excellent in the first game, going 2-3 with a run scored.
- Redshirt freshman 2B Kendyll Bailey had another multi-hit game, also going 2-3 in game one. Bailey also scored one run.
- Freshman SS Jazmyn Rollin continued to make her mark, tallying another RBI on a big-time double in the fifth.
TURNING POINT – Game One
The Tigers jumped out to a quick start, taking advantage of UCLA freshman pitcher Megan Faraimo, who got the start. Though Garcia would be quickly inserted, Mizzou still found a way to score twice, once on a wild pitch and once on a bunt. Norman would keep the Bruins in check until she was pulled early in the fifth, and the Bruins would get a run back after Daniel entered. Daniel would respond though, notching a huge strikeout to end the top half of the fifth.
The Black & Gold would respond right away, as Rollin would clobber a RBI double to right-center. Mizzou would effectively close the door in the bottom of the sixth, as Wilmes hammered a ball over the wall in right field to make it a 5-1 margin.
TOP TIGERS – Game Two
- Sophomore C Hatti Moore crushed her third homer of the weekend in the fourth inning in game two, a moonshot to deep left field.
TURNING POINT – Game Two
Game two was won in the early going, as UCLA came out with a purpose and took advantage of several Mizzou errors. An E3 in the first started the scoring, followed by an RBI single and an RBI double that would make it 3-0 UCLA after one. Another error and a fielder's choice would score two more in the second, while a bases-clearing double from Bubba Nickles would make it an 8-0 Bruin lead that proved too much to overcome.
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