COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 15 Mizzou Softball led nearly the entire contest but stumbled in the seventh inning to fall to No. 3 Florida by a score of 3-2.
The Tigers jumped out in front in the first. Brooke Wilmes led off with a single, stole a base and moved over to third on a groundout. Hatti Moore then brought her in with a double to deep left field to put Mizzou on top 1-0.
In the second, Mizzou was able to get the first two runners on base with a Cayla Kessinger single and an Emma Raabe walk. The Tigers were not able to bring them around.
Jenna Laird got the Tigers back on the board in the third with an opposite-field home run to leadoff the bottom half. The Tigers held a 2-0 lead after three.
Jordan Weber delivered an impressive performance from the circle in the contest, taking a no-hitter into the sixth inning, adding five strikeouts. However, Mizzou’s bats could not get going late.
The Tigers had a chance in the fourth, getting two baserunners. Mizzou was not able to get a timely hit to add to the lead.
TURNING POINT
Florida was able to break up Weber’s no-hit bid in the sixth with a leadoff single. The Gators threatened the Tigers in the sixth, putting the go-ahead run at the plate with only one out. Laurin Krings came on and struck out the next two batters to get Mizzou out of the inning.
Mizzou was unable to generate any offense in the bottom of the sixth and looked to close it out in the top of the seventh.
After a leadoff strikeout, the Gators got some life from a double into right-center. The next batter was hit by a pitch and Florida, once again, had the winning run at the plate. This time the Tigers were not able to escape. Florida leadoff batter Hannah Adams drove a 3-2 pitch over the left-center wall to give the Gators the lead.
Mizzou had one last chance to generate a run. Alex Honnold drew a leadoff walk before the Gators quickly got two outs with back-to-back fielder’s choices. Hatti Moore drew a walk to put runners on first and second, but the Tigers could not get it done.
TOP TIGERS
Jordan Weber pitched an impressive game, going 5.1 innings with only two hits and no runs. Weber added five strikeouts on the day.
Hatti Moore’s double in the first inning gave the Tigers the early lead.
Emma Raabe reached in all three of her plate appearances with a single and a pair of walks.
Jenna Laird blasted her sixth home run of the season in the second to extend the Missouri lead.
NOTES
Brooke Wilmes moves into a tie for ninth in Mizzou history with 212 hits.
The Tigers fall for the first time leading after six innings.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will travel to Knoxville on Friday to take on Tennessee at 5 p.m. CT.
