LEXINGTON, Ky. - University of Missouri softball fell to No. 23 Kentucky, 6-4, Friday evening at John Cropp Stadium in its 2025 SEC opener.

With the loss, Mizzou moves to 11-11 this season and 0-1 in league play. The Wildcats improved to 15-6 and 1-0 in the SEC.

The Tigers jumped out to an early lead on Madison Uptegrove's first career triple in the second frame. She finished 1-for-3 with an RBI in her first career SEC game.

Kentucky would then even the game the following half inning on a McKenzie Bump RBI single.

Julia Crenshaw then blasted her fifth homer of the campaign to deep center for a 2-1 MU edge in the third.

The Wildcats responded with a three-run homer in the bottom of the third followed by an RBI double to take a 5-2 lead through four innings.

Crenshaw would pull the Tigers within a run in the fifth. The senior catcher from O'Fallon, Missouri, knocked an RBI double to left center before scoring on a passed ball to cut the deficit to 5-4.

Crenshaw paced the Tigers at the plate Friday, going 2-for-4 (eighth multi-hit game in 2025) with two runs, two RBI (fourth multi-RBI game in 2025), a double and a homer. She has now hit safely in three-straight games and is on an 11-game reached base streak.

Claire Cahalan also notched a career-best matching pair of hits (fifth time in her career), finishing 2-for-4 with a triple. It marked her third triple of the campaign. She is currently on a seven-game reached base streak.

The Wildcats added a final run on an RBI bases loaded walk in the sixth to secure the 6-4 win.

Kara Daly extended her reached base streak to nine games (three-game hitting streak) with a base hit and a walk.

Starter Marissa McCann was assessed the loss (4-4 in 2025), allowing five earned runs on seven hits with four walks and four strikeouts over 5.1 innings.

Taylor Pannell came on in relief, surrendering a run on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Taylor Ebbs, a senior from Keizer, Oregon, faced her former team Friday. She transferred to Mizzou from Kentucky ahead of the 2025 campaign. Ebbs was hit by a pitch in her first at bat of the evening.

Mizzou hit a season-best two triples Friday.

NEXT UP

• Missouri will continue its SEC opening series with No. 23 Kentucky Saturday at 1 p.m., CT at John Cropp Stadium. The game will be streamed on SEC Network+.
• Following the weekend in Lexington, Kentucky, the Tigers return to Columbia, for the 2025 Mizzou Invitational March 13-15, at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.
• All-Tournament passes ($20) and day passes are currently available for purchase online.
• Missouri will wrap the week of games, hosting Kansas City on March 16.

FOLLOW THE TIGERS

• For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team @MizzouSoftball (X, Instagram, Facebook).
• The Diamond Club is accepting new members. Email MAF@missouri.edu or call 573-882-0704 to join.
• Join us in Expanding the Tradition of excellence in Mizzou Softball! This special initiative focuses on building a Rock M at the Mizzou Softball Stadium, a centerpiece of Tiger pride. The Rock M will debut at the Tigers' 2025 Mizzou Invitational starting on March 13.