University of Missouri
21-23, 3-11
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15/16 Mississippi State
32-11, 8-6
Softball Evens Series at No. 15/16 Mississippi State with 12-8 Win
4/12/2025 8:46:00 PM | Softball
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.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: McCann, Marissa (8-9)
L: Lexi Sosa (3-1)
Batting:
2B: Ebbs, Taylor 1 ; Hay, Abby 1 ; Abruscato, Stefania 2 ; Uptegrove, Madison 1
HR: Walker, Madison 1 ; Ebbs, Taylor 1 ; Lenger, Kayley 1
RBI: Cahalan, Claire 1 ; Walker, Madison 4 ; Ebbs, Taylor 3 ; Hay, Abby 1 ; Abruscato, Stefania 1 ; Lenger, Kayley 1
SH: Walker, Madison 1 ; Smith, Sophie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cahalan, Claire 2 ; Watkins, Nevaeh 1 ; Walker, Madison 1 ; Ebbs, Taylor 2 ; Hay, Abby 2 ; Uptegrove, Madison 1 ; Smith, Sophie 1 ; Lenger, Kayley 2
CS: Cahalan, Claire 1
HBP: Crenshaw, Julia 1 ; Lenger, Kayley 1
PO: Smith, Sophie 1
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Batting:
2B: Nadia Barbary 1 ; Ella Wesolowski 2
HR: Sierra Sacco 1
RBI: Sierra Sacco 4 ; Nadia Barbary 1 ; Morgan Bernardini 1 ; Ella Wesolowski 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Sierra Sacco 1 ; Morgan Stiles 2 ; Jessie Blaine 1 ; Morgan Bernardini 1 ; Ella Wesolowski 1 ; Riley Hull 2
HBP: Kiarra Sells 1
