The Missouri Tiger softball team ended the regular season Saturday with a 1-0 against Georgia, ending a three-game series where the Tigers claimed 2-of-3 for the first time this year.
Missouri opened the series with a 4-2 win against the Bulldogs, then dropped Game 2, 3-2 and finished off the series win with a 1-0 Saturday victory.
Here’s a recap of the series.
Thursday
The Tigers claimed their first SEC series-opening win Thursday night in a come-from-behind win to open senior weekend.
The game seemed like so many others the Tigers have played in a season with a number of disappointing results, the teams stayed close, but Georgia pulled ahead with a sixth-inning home run that seemed to be the death blow.
On Tuesday leading up to the series, Missouri coach Larissa Anderson said the team had failed to find ways to win, but Thursday, they finally found it.
Senior Mya Dodge came in to pinch hit with Danielle Blackstun on third base, pinch running for Taylor Ebbs who walked, with two outs.
And Dodge sent her second home run of the season over the right-center field fence to put the Tigers in front 3-2.
“I didn’t even know it was going out, I knew I made good, good contact and that was kind of where I was aiming,” Dodge said. “So I was just, as soon as it came off the bat, I just kind of felt it’s, either way if it went out or whether it didn’t, I knew it was gonna be a hit. So I just felt good about scoring a runner.”
Then freshman Abbie Wilhelm, getting her second career start, followed with her first career hit, which went to almost exactly the same spot as her first-career home run put the Tigers up 4-2.
“That was a jittery one,” Wilhelm said. “My first at-bat, I was like, really feeling it, just getting the feel of what it felt like to be in the box again, especially against Georgia, one of their best pitches and your confidence just grows as it comes along.”
Anderson turned to Taylor Pannell, who matched the NCAA’s single-season save record last season but has lacked opportunities to build on it this season, for the seventh.
“It was great to see Taylor Pannell come in and close it out,” Anderson said. “It’s her bread and butter and she really excelled in that moment.”
Pannell struck out the first batter she faced, got a ground out for the second out, then struck out the final batter to give Missouri a win to open senior weekend.
“A great start to an emotional senior weekend,” Anderson said. “I think it’s really special that Mya Dodge, one of our seniors, hit the go-ahead home run. I mean, it’s a testament to how hard they continue to work. Kids that are on the bench and are prepared, it’s next man up. All the work they put in, they never quit.”
The Tigers took the initial lead when senior Kara Daly hit a sacrifice fly to score Stefania Abruscato in the first inning, but two solo home runs from Georgia put the Bulldogs in front.
The Tigers had three total hits, the two home runs and a single from Madison Walker in the first inning.
Marissa McCann started and got the win for the Tigers, pitching six innings and allowing two runs on six hits and one hit batter, while striking out seven.
“Two pitches got away from her and two pitches that were hit for solo shots,” Anderson said. “That happens, we talk about, it’s always going to happen, especially for someone who throws the ball up in the zone, we’re lucky that they weren’t two-run, three-run home runs … It keeps the game close enough for us to be able to have the game within reach.”
Friday
Georgia jumped ahead with a first-inning RBI single, but a Madison Uptegrove home run tied the game in the bottom of the second.
But this time when Georgia went ahead with two runs in the fourth, the Tigers weren’t able to come back.
A passed ball scored Uptegrove in the bottom of the fourth, but the Tigers never got a runner to third base in the final three innings.
Missouri once again had three hits, the home run from Uptegrove, and singles from Walker and Wilhelm.
Pannell started in the circle for the Tigers, going six innings and allowing three runs on eight hits, two hit batters and one walk, while striking out three. Senior Jayci Kruse pitched the final inning and allowed one hit and one walk.
Saturday
Uptegrove came through again Saturday, as the freshman sealed the win with her fifth home run of the season in the second inning for the game’s lone score.
Missouri was held to three total hits. Along with Uptegrove’s blast, Ebbs and Claire Cahalan each had a single.
“Anyone through our lineup can be able to hit a home run,” Anderson said. “... it’s just a matter of having the right pitch at the right time.”
Cierra Harrison returned to form in the circle, firing six shutout innings and allowing just two hits and one hit batter, while striking out one.
Pannell came on for her second save of the series and third of the season as she hurled a clean seventh, striking out two.
Up next
The Tigers end the regular season with a record of 25-30.
They enter the SEC Tournament as the 14 seed (out of 15 teams since Vanderbilt does not have a softball team) and will need to win the SEC Championship to not become the first Tiger team to miss the NCAA Regionals since 2006 (excluding 2020).
The Tigers will face No. 11 Ole Miss on Tuesday in the first round. No. 12 Georgia and No. 13 Kentucky will open the tournament at 1 p.m., then the Tigers and Rebels will follow 35 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.
The winner of the Tigers and Rebels will play No. 6 Florida on Wednesday in the second game of the day after No. 5 Arkansas plays the winner of Georgia and Kentucky at 11 a.m.\
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