The Missouri Tigers dropped the series opener 7-0 on their trip to Starkville, Miss., then picked up a 12-8 win in Game 2 before losing 10-2 in eight innings on Sunday.
Here’s a recap of the action.
Friday
Mississippi State jumped in front with a run in the bottom of the first and two in the second, then added another run in the fifth and three more in the sixth.
The Tiger bats never woke up as Stefania Abruscato and Abby Hay each singled for the Tigers’ only hits.
Cierra Harrison started for the Tigers, throwing 5.0 innings and allowing four runs on five hits and a walk, while striking out one.
Nathalie Touchet pitched 0.2 innings, allowing three unearned runs on one hit and three walks, then Jayci Kruse got the final out.
Saturday
The Tigers rebounded with a big offensive performance Saturday, putting up four runs in the top of the first and another in the second to go ahead 5-0. The Bulldogs scored five in the bottom of the second to tie the game, but Missouri added a six-run fourth inning to take the lead for good, while also scoring a run in the top of the sixth.
Mississippi State had one run in the bottom of the sixth and two in the seventh, but couldn’t overcome the deficit.
The Tigers jumped ahead when a Taylor Ebbs double in the first scored Nevaeh Watkins and Claire Cahalan, then Hay singled to score Ebbs and Sophie Smith reached on an error that scored Hay.
In the second, Kayley Lenger sent a home run over the wall in center.
In the fourth, a Cahalan single scored Madison Uptegrove, then Madison Walker sent her 15th home run over the left-center field wall for a grand slam to score Cahalan, Lenger and Smith.
An Abruscato double then scored Hay to put the Tigers up 11-5.
In the sixth, Ebbs sent her ninth home run to center for the Tigers’ final run.
Missouri had 14 total hits, led by three from Ebbs, who had a home run, a double and a single to bring in three RBI and score two runs. Walker had a grand slam, Cahalan had two singles, an RBI and two runs scored, while Hay had a double and a single, two runs scored and an RBI. Abruscato had two hits, including a double, and an RBI.
Marissa McCann started for the Tigers, pitching 5.2 innings and allowing six runs on eight hits, two walks and a hit batter, while striking out four. Kruse got the next out, but allowed two runs on three hits and a walk.
Taylor Pannell pitched the seventh, allowing just one hit, while striking out two.
Sunday
But the Tiger bats went back to sleep after scoring two runs in the first inning Sunday on the way to dropping a 10-2 game in five innings.
In the first, Ebbs sent her ninth home run over the right-center field wall to score Walker for the Tigers’ only runs.
The Tigers had two total hits. Cahalan had a single to go with Ebbs’ home run.
Harrison started for the Tigers, but pitched just 1.0 inning, allowing three runs on five hits, a walk and a hit batter, while striking out one. McCann pitched the next 2.0 innings, allowing four runs on four hits and three walks, while striking out two.
Touchet got the first two outs of the fourth, allowing three unearned runs on two hits and a walk, then Pannell got the final out, allowing one hit and striking out one.
Up next
Missouri (21-24, 3-12 SEC) returns home to host SIU-Edwardsville at 5 p.m. Tuesday, then will host No. 3 Texas A&M for a weekend series starting at 6 p.m. Thursday. On Friday, the Tigers and Aggies will play at 5 p.m., then the series will conclude with a 3 p.m. Saturday game.
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