After last weekend’s series win over No. 9 Alabama, Missouri softball (21-14, 4-5 SEC) came into Friday’s contest against No. 25 Arkansas (22-14, 2-11 SEC) with a little bit of added confidence.
In what would prove to be a complete-game pitchers’ duel, both teams struggled at the plate, combining for just six total hits. Missouri got just two of them, but used its speed to come away with the 1-0 win.
Senior Cheyenne Baxter (9-2, 2.48 ERA) took the circle for Missouri against Razorback freshman Autumn Storms (10-9, 1.88 ERA). The two pitchers combined for 15 strikeouts, six hits and just one run.
“I’m proud of Cheyenne,” Head Coach Ehren Earleywine said. “People keep saying she’s a fluke. She just keeps proving everyone wrong. I don’t know where we’d be without her. What an awesome surprise she has been this second half of the season. She’s giving this team a legitimate chance for a postseason run.”
In the third inning, Earleywine subbed in freshman Gabby Garrison to pinch run for senior Chloe Rathburn. Garrison eventually went on to score the game's only run due to a stolen base and two passed balls from Arkansas.
“Gabby got the steal sign from coach,” senior catcher Kirsten Mack said. “The shortstop was just late getting to the base. Storms is a great pitcher, but when you have a pitcher that throws a really heavy drop ball you’re going to have balls in the dirt. Those are the hardest balls to block.”
Garrison would be the only player to cross home plate Friday night. The Tigers were then forced to rely on Baxter to hold their one-run lead.
“I have a lot of confidence in myself,” Baxter said. “I know I can keep going out there and pitch strikes. It’s definitely nicer if you have insurance runs and having a one-run lead can be a little nerve-racking.”
Mack said the team needs to focus on having better at-bats.
“We didn’t swing at good pitches,” she said. “You can see that from our strikeout count and walk count. We’re not good hitters when we don’t swing at good pitches.”
Earleywine chalked the win up to Baxter’s performance from the circle and having the “right kid on base at the right time.”
“We scratched an ugly run and got the ‘W,’” he said. “But I’ll tell you what, in the SEC I’ll take them any way we can get them.”
The Tigers and Razorbacks meet again for game two of the series Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and finish things up Sunday at noon.
