With two outs and bases loaded in the third inning of last Sunday’s 7-2 loss to Georgia (35-5, 11-4 SEC), Missouri’s Rylee Pierce struck out looking.
But with two outs and one on base in the fourth inning of Wednesday afternoon’s 6-0 win over Omaha (14-25, 2-6 Summit League), Pierce lined a double to the left-field wall.
“I know I can put the ball in play,” Pierce said. “That was really my approach. It was pretty simple. See ball, hit ball.”
Moving into the leadoff hitting spot, the junior went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and a double, which scored Brooke Wilmes and extended the Tigers’ lead to six.
Pierce switched into the leadoff spot rather than Amanda Sanchez, who started in that spot last weekend at Georgia. Missouri (22-21, 4-11) lost the series 2-1 after not capitalizing on runners in scoring position.
Missouri interim head coach Gina Fogue shrugged when talking about the lineup change. Something needs to spark the offense, and Fogue hoped to do that Wednesday.
“Still just trying to find the way to produce runs,” Fogue said. “Rylee gets on a lot. She finds a way to get on base, she has a good at-bat, so just trying to find a way to keep getting runs in.”
Junior Regan Nash had been almost penned into the leadoff spot in her first two years at Missouri. Now, Nash is moving down the lineup to the sixth spot so she can swing and bunt at more pitches.
“I like working anywhere in the lineup,” Nash said. “I think we’re all comfortable in our new roles. We each have a role in the lineup and we know it.”
Nash led off the second inning with a single and then swiped second to be in scoring position for Pierce, who singled to shortstop for the RBI.
Missouri left nine on base last Sunday and six on Wednesday. Progress is progress, Nash said.
“Finally,” she breathed a sigh of relief. “The other team isn’t getting on base and we’re finally getting hits. Everything is falling together.”
Freshman pitcher Lauren Rice pitched a shutout and only allowed one hit in the first inning. In what she called her most comfortable outing this season, she went on to retire 18 batters in a row.
“I knew I needed to come out and stay low in the zone to show what I’m capable of,” Rice said.
The puzzle pieces — hitting, scoring, defense — fell together Wednesday afternoon, but this weekend brings another test to Missouri when No. 11 Auburn comes to town. Auburn features dangerous pitching in Kaylee Carlson and Makayla Martin.
Missouri has three more conference series before hosting the SEC Tournament on May 8-12. The Tigers are still looking for that first series win and need to pile up some victories to qualify for the conference tournament.
“I think the whole team — we have a tremendously tough schedule and it shows — but experience has helped this team grow and get better and find ways to compete,” Fogue said. “It’s coming together, and we’re starting to peak at the right time, so I’m hoping to continue that.”
