No. 15 Mizzou Softball Falls in Opener to No. 3 Florida

Friday, April 30

Columbia, Mo.

6:30 p.m. CT

University of Missouri

34-12, 12-7

Florida

36-7, 15-4

Florida

Missouri

No. 15 Mizzou Softball Falls in Opener to No. 3 Florida

4/30/2021 10:12:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 15 Mizzou Softball fell in the opening game of an SEC series for the first time in the 2021 season. A five-run sixth ultimately plagued the Tigers and provided all the offense that the No. 3 Gators needed to take the first game of the series 5-2.

After each team went down in order in the first inning, Florida was able to get a pair of runners on the basepaths with one out in the second. Jordan Weber was able to escape the jam, forcing a pair of popups.

Mizzou then jumped out to the early lead in the bottom half. Casidy Chaumont ripped a single through the left side to lead off the inning on a 3-2 pitch. With one out in the inning, Cayla Kessinger ripped a line drive over the center field wall to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead.

The Tigers threatened again in the third. Brooke Wilmes led off with a single through the right side and moved around to third on a passed ball and a wild pitch. After a walk and a groundout, Mizzou had runners on second and third with two outs. Ultimately, no runs crossed the plate and the lead remained at zero.

A two out double by Kendyll Bailey again gave Mizzou a chance to add some valuable insurance runs. However, a sharp grounder up the middle was fielded by the shortstop to prevent any run from scoring. The Florida defense was in the right position all night.

In the bottom of the fifth, Mizzou nearly tacked on two more runs. Hatti Moore knocked a two out single through the right side to put a runner aboard. Casidy Chaumont ripped one down the left field line that turned just foul. The Tiger lead remained at 2-0 after the fifth.

TURNING POINT

The sixth inning proved to be costly for the Tigers. A leadoff walk got things started for Florida, followed by a one out single. The next batter was jammed and lined out to second base. The Tigers looked to get out of the inning without much damage. Another walk loaded the bases for Florida, forcing Mizzou into a pitching change.

A ground ball found its way up the middle, scoring two runs for Florida and tying the game at 2. The Gators were not done, however. The following batter drove a 1-1 pitch over the left-center wall to give Florida a 5-2 lead, putting the contest seemingly out of reach for the Tigers.

Mizzou was unable to muster a comeback in this contest.

TOP TIGERS

Cayla Kessinger provided all the offense for Mizzou in this one. She blasted her 10^th home run of the season to center field in the second.

Jordan Weber was magnificent for the Tigers through five innings, before running into trouble in the sixth.

Kendyll Bailey provided a spark for the Tigers. She smacked a two-out double down the left field line to give Mizzou a chance to score in the fourth. Bailey also reached on a walk in the second with two outs.

NOTES

Brooke Wilmes moved into a tie for 10^th on the Mizzou all-time hit list.

Cayla Kessinger moved into a tie for eighth on the Mizzou all-time home run list.

The Tigers fell in the opening game of an SEC series for the first time during the 2021 season.

Four hits are the fewest that the Tigers have allowed in a losing effort this season.

UP NEXT

The Tigers and Gators will face off in game two of the series tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT on SEC Network. Madison Shipman and Mark Neely will be on the call.