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Celebration time! Mizzou’s got a two-game win streak

Mizzou Links & Softball Recap: for Friday, April 7

By Karen Steger
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We love a good come-from-behind win

I must confess, when I went to lunch on Thursday afternoon, I thought this may be a loss. I’m sorry. Jordan Weber was having trouble finding the strike zone, and the Bayou Bengals kept scoring runs. and despite not pitching too well herself, LSU starter Sydney Berzon is a good pitcher (1.71 ERA, 11-2, 84 K in 86IP). The black & gold was down 5-1 after four. But then something happened. I turned back on my computer and it was TIED. Was it me? Did me not watching the game for upwards of an hour cause this twist of fate? Who’s to say, but something important happened. They came back, and they took the lead. Recently, and far too often, these mostly inexperienced Tigers have struggled to close out close games.

NOT THIS TIME!!!

But before we get to the end, we should rewind to the beginning. I’m trying to be brief, but this game was action-packed. After a scoreless first inning, Jordan Weber ran into some trouble in the 2nd and loading the bases on a leadoff walk, a single, and a fielders choice. She then walked home two consecutive batters to make it 2-0 with no outs.

What happened next was... odd. With the bases still loaded, 1B Katie Chester stepped on the bag after initially dropping the ball, then fired home to get the runner, who was tagged out by the C Julia Crenshaw, who then fired to 2B and almost got that runner as she tried to extend the play. Really, it was just bad baserunning on behalf of the other team, who didn’t have to go home on that play, per the announcers, as the force was removed. It was odd, and Chester ended the threat with the last out at 1B. Coming out of that inning with just the two runs off the walks? WE WILL TAKE IT.

Missouri responded with a run in the 4th after Chester led off with a walk. With Kayley Lenger on in her place as a PR, she advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch before taking 3B on a Chantice Phillips single. Maddie Gallagher’s RBI FC brought home Lenger, making it 2-1.

The (other) Tigers added to their lead in the 4th, plating three more runs (one attributed to Weber, and two to reliever Megan Schumacher) before Missouri responded with four of their own to tie the game in the top of the 5th.

Laird led off with a single to the pitcher and Honnold followed with a double to RF. Daly’s FC brought in Jenna before Alex came home on a passed ball and Kara went to 3B. Gallagher then walloped a two-run single down the LF line to tie the game 5-5. LSU’s starter, the aforementioned Berzon, made it through two outs in the 5th before being replaced by Ali Kilponen (9-4, 2.09 ERA). The normally terrific freshman’s line was not pretty: 5 R | 4 ER | 5 H | 5 BB | 6 K | 1 XBH | 109 pitches.

LSU retook the lead 6-5 in the bottom of the 5th as Schuey put two runners on with a single and walk before being relieved by little-used (but doing quite well, I must say) Emma Nichols. Nichols allowed one of those runners to score on a successful bunt, but ended the inning with a double play. Great work, Emma!

In their next ABs, the Tigers (ours) answered again, adding three more runs in the 6th as Jenna reached on an error and then was brought home on a Crenshaw single to right to make it 6-6. Not to be undone, Daly hit an RBI single to give Missouri the lead, and a perfect double steal of 2B and HOME performed by Hannah McGivern (pinch-running for Daly) and Creshaw made it 8-6. I was excited, y’all.

Taylor Pannell came in to get the save in the 9th and was able to shut down the Tigers after an error and a bunt put runners at the corners, making things interesting terrifying. However, TP got the pinch hitter to ground out and that was the ballgame. Missouri won it 8-6 in another victory over a ranked team, their second in a row!

Emma Nichols got the W for Mizzou, while reliever Ali Klinopen took the L. Her line: 2.1 IP | 4 H | 3 R | 2 ER | 2 BB | 1 SO | 64 pitches

We simply love to see it.

THE STATS

  • Jenna Laird: 1-4 | 2 R | BB | SB
  • Alex Honnold: 2-2 | 2 R | 2B | 3 BB
  • Julia Crenshaw: 1-4 | R | RBI | 2 K | SB | 2 LOB
  • Kara Daly: 1-4 | R | 2 RBI | 2 K | 1 LOB
  • Chantice Phillips: 2-3 | R | BB | 2 SB
  • Maddie Gallagher: 1-3 | 3 RBI 1 BB | 2 LOB

Overall Hitting: 8 R | 9 H | 6 RBI | 2B | 7 BB | 7 K | 7 SB | 10 LOB | error | .300 BA | .273 RISP | .222 w/ 2 outs | .429 lead off

  • Jordan Weber: 3.1 IP | 3 H | 3 ER | 4 BB | 64 pitches
  • Megan Schumacher: 1 IP | 3 H | 3 ER | 2 BB | 3B | 32 pitches
  • Emma Nichols: 1.2 IP | WIN | 1 H | 1 BB | 1 WP | 19 pitches
  • Taylor Pannell: 1 IP | save | 1 H | 21 pitches

Overall Pitching: 8 H | 6 ER | 7 BB | WP | 3B | error | .296 OppBA | .250 w/ 2 outs | .286 RISP

NEXT UP: Weather pending, Mizzou (23-16, 3-10 SEC) will continue their series with LSU (31-7, 4-6 SEC) tonight at 6pm on SEC+, and wrap up the series on Saturday at 1pm, also on SEC+.

On to the Links!

[P.S. It’s my birthday. Unlike kristina, I don’t have a birthday every day of the year]

Yesterday at Rock M

More Links:

Hoops

  • Thursday was a lovely day for a little hoopin’ at the Rec.
  • Memmmmmmmmoriessssssssssssssssssssssssss..... I’m not ready to watch these yet.
  • Big congrats to incoming Tiger, Curt Lewis! NJCAA Men’s Player of the Year!

Football

  • Bye, Bobby. Bon voyage, big fella.
  • Competition.

Other Mizzou Sports

  • Thursday was National Student-Athlete Day! Let’s celebrate. With a video and some stats about the impact that fans have on the athletic community.
  • And this silly little Family Matters-style video from the SEC Leadership Council
  • Volleyball: Spring Volleyball under new coach Dawn Sullivan is underway, and the team is heading to Kansas City on Saturday to compete in the Big Spring Tournament Saturday in Kansas City, Missouri! Mizzou will face Northern Iowa, Wichita State, and Tulsa at the Tournament. More info at MUTigers.com
  • Track & Field: T&F will compete in its fifth meet of the 2023 outdoor season at the KT Woodman Classic Friday and Saturday in Wichita this weekend. 42 Tigers will compete! More info at MUTigers.com
  • Club Hockey: What a season for the black & gold
  • Gymnastics: The Tigers got some big news on Thursday as both Sienna Schreiber and Hollyn Patrick announced their returns for a fifth year.

Diamond Sports

  • Welp. That baseball game was just a kick in the ... nevermind. YOU GO TOE-TO-TOE WITH VANDY ONLY FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. As CBB robot Jon Rothstein would say, “just the epitome of brutality.”
  • On the game:

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