Softball Drops SEC Opener at No. 23 Kentucky

Friday, March 7

Lexington, Ky.

5:30 p.m. CT

University of Missouri

11-11, 0-1

23 Kentucky

15-6, 1-0

Missouri

Kentucky

Julia Crenshaw_BANNER_2025_20250301_SB_atwichitatourn-Nebraska1_ZYI-47.jpg

3/7/2025 10:42:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Final Statistics (PDF)

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.