STARKVILLE, Miss. - University of Missouri softball evened its series with No. 15/16 Mississippi State (32-11, 8-6 SEC) Saturday with a 12-8 victory over the Bulldogs at Nusz Park.

With the win, Missouri improves to 21-23 this season and 3-11 in SEC play. The victory marked Missouri's sixth over a top-25 ranked opponent.

MU registered a season-best 14 hits including five doubles and three home runs to power past MSU and knot the series at 1-1. The five two-baggers matched a season-high set at Kentucky on March 8.

Four Tigers tallied multi-hit games paced by Taylor Ebbs.

Ebbs, a senior from Keizer, Oregon, matched a personal-best three hits (3-for-4 Saturday, fourth-three hit game in career) on a double and home run to go with three RBI (season-best) and two runs. It also marked her 10th multi-hit game and eighth multi-RBI game this season.

Tied at 5-5 Saturday, Missouri registered a six-run fourth inning to pull ahead 11-5 and claim the win.

Claire Cahalan notched an RBI single to break the stalemate before Madison Walker blasted her second career grand slam (second in 2025).

For Walker, a sophomore third baseman from Olathe, Kansas, the home run was her team-leading 15th of the campaign. She will break into Mizzou's top-8 for a single season with 16 homers.

Stefania Abruscato added her career-best second double of the day to increase the advantage to cap the inning. She finished Saturday 2-for-4 with an RBI. Abruscato now has 12 doubles this season after hitting safely in her third-straight game.

Ebbs then connected on her eighth home run in 2025 (33rd in her collegiate career) to push the lead to 12-5.

The Bulldogs answered with three runs over the final two innings, but the Tigers kept them at bay, securing the 12-8 win.

MU jumped out to a 4-0 lead Saturday as eight Tigers came to the plate over the opening frame. Ebbs knocked a two-run double before an RBI single from Abby Hay. Hay scored on a MSU error.

Kayley Lenger then belted her career-best matching second homer of the campaign (fourth in career) in the second to make it a 5-0 lead.

The Bulldogs answered with a five-run second that featured a grand slam to tie the game at 5-5.

Marissa McCann was awarded the win to improve to 8-9 in 2025 (first SEC win of the season). She allowed six earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts over 5.2 innings. McCann, a sophomore from Surprise, Arizona, also threw her 200th career inning over the game.

Jayci Kruse (2 ER, 3 H, 0.1 IP) and Taylor Pannell both pitched in relief Saturday. Pannell allowed just one hit over the final inning with two strikeouts to surpass 100 in her collegiate career.

Claire Cahalan had a career-best matching two hits (2-for-4, sixth time in career with two hits) to go with two runs and an RBI.

Abby Hay also had a personal-best matching two hits (2-for-4, 12th time in career with two hits) including a double to go with two runs and an RBI.

Nine Tigers had hits Saturday.

Madison Uptegrove posted her sixth double in 2025 and is on a three-game reached base streak.

UP NEXT

• MU continues its SEC road series at No. 15/16 Mississippi State Sunday. First pitch is 1 p.m., CT on SEC Network+.
• The Tigers then return home for a midweek matchup against SIUE on Tuesday, April 15.
• Missouri then hosts No. 3 Texas A&M for a weekend series, April 17-19.
• Tuesday's midweek matchup against SIUE is Bark in the Park and Student Home Run Derby with first pitch set for 5 p.m., CT.

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 debuted this season at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.