1 month ago
Margo Jenkins
Despite coming into nan crippled pinch momentum from a strong 5-0 triumph connected Saturday that forced a rubber match, Mizzou Softball couldn’t get it done against No. 25 South Carolina, falling 4-0 connected Sunday successful Columbia arsenic nan Tigers’ playoff passageway becomes narrower.
The prima of nan show was South Carolina pitcher Jori Heard, who besides sounded a complete crippled successful nan series’ first game. Heard vanished Game 3 pinch different shutout, to spell on pinch six strikeouts and conscionable 3 hits.
”I thought she worked down successful nan area a batch amended than Friday,” Mizzou coach Larissa Anderson said of Heard aft nan game. “She has that really bully driblet and successful nan scouting study she doesn’t propulsion it arsenic often arsenic she threw it to us. She doesn’t miss very often.”
Mizzou struggled to get immoderate discourtesy going pursuing an action-packed 2nd inning wherever nan Tigers looked to respond pursuing a solo location tally from South Carolina’s Tori Ensley.
After an Abby Hay crushed out, Sidney Forrester sewage nan Tigers’ first guidelines deed of nan time connected a azygous to halfway field. Madison Uptegrove past snuck 1 done nan mediate to springiness Mizzou back-to-back guidelines hits. With 2 connected and 1 out, Claire Cahalan walked to load nan bases for nan Tigers. Sophie Smith — who was 0-for-23 successful her past 23 ABs according to nan broadcast — and Kayley Lenger struck retired to strand 3 runners connected base.
Following nan 2nd inning, Mizzou only saw 1 much deed nan remainder of nan game.
The Tigers utilized 3 different pitchers but really only struggled pinch big-time hits. The Gamecocks matched Mizzou’s full of 3 hits connected nan game, but they were 3 location runs. Cierra Harrison had nan commencement successful nan circle, finishing pinch 3 strikeouts and 3 deed by pitches — nan first ones allowed this play — and 2 earned runs while allowing 1 deed successful 4.1 innings. Marissa McCann struggled pursuing Saturday’s gem. She vanished pinch 2 earned runs connected back-to-back solo shots from South Carolina successful nan 5th frame. Following McCann’s short-lived outing, nan Tigers elected to bring successful Abby Carr, who struggled against nan Gamecocks connected Friday. Carr had a beardown bounce-back capacity allowing zero runs and striking retired 2 during nan last 2 innings.
“She was tipping her alteration up connected Friday and South Carolina was sitting connected it. And that evidently impacts her; it’s her champion pitch,” Anderson said erstwhile asked what changed from Carr’s pitching connected Friday to Sunday. “She worked connected her motion. She didn’t extremity astatine each and it was really bully to spot that she made that mechanical adjustment.”
On a broadside note, Mizzou diver Collier Dyer threw retired nan ceremonial first pitch. Pretty cool considering Dyer became nan 2nd National Champion for nan swimming and diving program, and first since 2018 erstwhile he took nan title successful nan 3m arena past month.
With nan loss, Mizzou has its backmost against nan wall and will request to triumph 4 of its past 7 games to beryllium astatine nan .500 people travel postseason consideration. The Tigers person Kansas City connected their schedule arsenic a mid-week matchup that should beryllium a win, which would bring nan triumph full needed to three. They besides person nan opportunity to adhd 1 much nonconference crippled to their schedule arsenic they are 1 crippled beneath nan maximum games you’re allowed to play.
“I’m trying,” Anderson said aft nan crippled erstwhile asked astir adding different nonconference matchup. “I’ve made a batch of telephone calls. These mid fields person to triumph nan convention tourney truthful they’re putting each of their money into nan convention tourney and convention seeding.” Realistically, that midweeker would person to hap this week if it will hap astatine all, arsenic nan Kansas City matchup is group for nan last week of nan regular season.
Next up, Mizzou (24-24) heads to Fayetteville, Arkansas, to return connected No. 6 Arkansas starting astatine 5 p.m. Friday.
