No. 19/20 Mizzou Softball Picks Up a Pair of Victories in Mobile

2/27/2021 12:38:00 AM | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

MOBILE, Ala. – No. 19/20 Mizzou continued to build upon recent success, by taking both ends of a doubleheader against Middle Tennessee State and South Alabama. The Tigers entered the tournament as winners of four-straight games.

GAME ONE

In the first game of the day Mizzou took on the Blue Raiders of Middle Tennessee. The start of the game was delayed due to a weather delay in one of the earlier games and the game that was immediately prior went to extra innings.

As soon as the game started, the Tigers snagged an early lead. Mizzou pushed a run across in the first inning on a run down that followed a Chaumont single. An errant throw allowed a run to score.

Mizzou put one run on the board in the second inning on a Jenna Laird RBI single, scoring Alex Honnold. In the third inning, Hatti Moore delivered her sixth home run of the season on a solo shot, putting the score at 3-0. She is currently tied for second in the SEC in home runs.

The Blue Raiders put a run on the board with a Sac Fly in the fourth inning to cut the lead to 3-1.

Brooke Wilmes responded by ripping a ball over the right field fence to regain the three-run advantage. It was Wilmes' third home run of the season. However, in the bottom half of the inning, MTSU was able to take a pair of runs back with an RBI single and an RBI double.

TURNING POINT

The game proved to be a nail-biter down to the top of the seventh. In the final frame, the Tigers were looking to put an insurance run on the board. Cayla Kessinger came up to the plate with one runner on and one out in the inning. Kessinger blasted her fourth home run of the year to right field, giving the Tigers a 6-3 lead that they would not relinquish.

TOP TIGERS

Cayla Kessinger had a productive early game for Mizzou, going 1-for-3 at the plate with a clutch two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.

Megan Schumacher did not allow an earned run in the contest. Each run that MTSU scored was unearned.

Hatti Moore continued her successful season with her team-leading sixth home run of the season.

NOTES

The Tigers had hit at least three home runs in each of the three games prior to traveling to mobile.

Jenna Laird's hitting streak was extended to nine games.

GAME TWO

In the second game of the day, Mizzou took on the host South Alabama. The Jaguars were able to jump out to an early lead on a two-run blast in the first inning.

Mizzou responded quickly by putting up three runs in the top-half of the second inning. Jenna Laird knocked in the first run of the inning on an RBI groundout. Brooke Wilmes was the next batter at the plate, and she delivered an infield single that drove in one run. A second run was able to go home because of a throwing error by a Middle Tennessee outfielder.

TURNING POINT

The Tigers extended the lead in the third inning by putting up four runs. Kimberly Wert got the rally started with her fifth blast of the season, putting Mizzou up by three. Mizzou earned the other two runs on a Bailey fielder's choice and an Alex Honnold single.

South Alabama tagged another home run to cut the lead, but it was too little for the Jaguars. Alex Honnold added another RBI single in the top of the seventh to give Mizzou an insurance run.