1 month ago
In Game 1 of nan astir important bid of Mizzou Softball’s year, nan Tigers couldn’t find an reply for back-to-back SEC Pitcher of nan Year Karlyn Pickens losing 3-1 against No. 9 Tennessee connected Thursday astatine Mizzou Softball Stadium.
The Lady Vols person proven each twelvemonth that they are nary easy task. For starters, No. 9 Tennessee’s 3 starting pitchers — Sage Mardjetko, Erin Nuwer and Pickens — rank successful nan apical 11 successful nan state for earned tally average. On nan different broadside of nan ball, nan Lady Volunteers person six batters batting a .290 aliases better, a period that only 3 Mizzou batters hit. With wins needed for a chance astatine a playoff bid, Mizzou coach Larissa Anderson knew what she was coming into but she is much focused connected taking things 1 transportation astatine a time.
“We tin only power what we do successful nan moment,” Missouri coach Larissa Anderson said aft nan game. “If we attraction connected nan extremity consequence we’re getting caught up successful nan prize. Rory McIlroy said it champion during nan Masters, ‘process complete prize’.”
Margo Jenkins
With nan loss, let’s break down nan scenario.
With NCAA rules saying that a squad must decorativeness astatine aliases supra .500 for a chance astatine an at-large NCAA Tournament bid, Mizzou had immoderate activity to do coming into nan weekend.
If nan Tigers find a measurement to triumph retired and decorativeness 2-1 against Tennessee, it won’t request a triumph successful nan SEC Tournament.
If Mizzou goes 1-2, it’ll request 1 triumph successful nan SEC Tournament (likely against a lower-tier SEC team).
If nan Tigers spell 0-3, it needs to make an SEC Tournament run.
Safe to opportunity plentifulness was connected nan statement coming into this bid for Mizzou.
The Tigers elected to spell pinch Cierra Harrison for Game 1 while Tennessee went pinch Mardjetko.
Margo Jenkins
Harrison started beardown but struggled to make it precocious into nan game, allowing 2 runs successful nan 5th and 1 tally successful nan sixth. She vanished allowing 8 hits, 2 earned runs and 3 strikeouts done 5 innings.
The item of nan time for Mizzou was a solo changeable from Stefania Abruscato to lead disconnected nan sixth inning. Other than nan tally during nan sixth, MU really struggled to find overmuch offense.
The Tigers put connected nan unit early pursuing 3 walks successful nan first connected Mardjetko — thing that isn’t emblematic of 1 of nan apical pitchers successful nan country. Following nan 3rd walk, nan Lady Vols elected to switch Mardjetko pinch Pickens. Saniya Hill was successful a two-out bases loaded opportunity but flied retired astatine nan informing track. Despite leaving 3 runners connected base, Hill was pumped.
Margo Jenkins
“I deliberation it’s beautiful singular that we knocked retired their starter successful nan first inning,” Anderson said. “(Hill’s) energy, I mean, she has specified a spark and tin transportation that affirmative power that’s going to power everyone other to judge that they tin do it.”
Pickens unopen nan doorway each crippled allowing conscionable 4 hits, 1 walks and 1 earned runs complete 6.1 innings. She besides sounded 5 consecutive strikeouts during nan 4th and 5th frame.
In what started arsenic a clear entity quickly turned into rainfall clouds and nan crippled was put connected a rainfall hold conscionable 10 pitches into nan game. The hold lasted astir 30 minutes but acknowledgment to speedy activity from nan instrumentality crew, nan crippled was up and moving fast.
Pickens, who is known for her speed, was throwing mid 70s against nan Tigers.
“I mean we faced 1 of nan champion pitchers successful nan world,” Anderson said. “That’s really bully Pickens is. We sewage hit pinch bully movement.”
Mizzou put itself successful different bully spot pinch 2 connected and nary retired successful nan bottommost of nan third, but grounded to bring successful immoderate runs which seemed to beryllium nan communicative of nan Tigers’ life this game.
It wasn’t till nan 5th inning wherever a tally was scored. In what was Tennessee’s first pinch deed of nan game, Makenzie Butt deed a 2 RBI azygous to put nan Lady Vols connected nan board.
The wheels seemed to beryllium falling disconnected erstwhile Harrison allowed a lead-off homer to Alannah Leach successful nan apical of nan sixth. After 2 much sewage connected base, Anderson elected to make nan move to Abby Carr successful nan circle. She made speedy activity of nan inning pinch a double play past a Abruscato protect play astatine nan sheet for nan last out. The freshman vanished nan crippled allowing 2 hits and zero runs done 2 innings coming successful for relief.
Margo Jenkins
The Tigers knocked connected nan doorway successful nan bottommost of nan seventh pinch two-on and nary retired but grounded to find nan past hit.
Mizzou (27-27, 8-14 SEC) will look for revenge successful Game 2 of nan bid against No. 9 Tennessee (41-8, 15-7) astatine 6 p.m. Friday astatine Mizzou Softball Stadium.
