TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – No. 15 Mizzou Softball jumped out in front in the bottom of the first and led the entire way in a 4-1 SEC Tournament victory over No. 14/16 LSU.
Jordan Weber kept the LSU offense at bay, allowing only 2 hits over seven innings of work. It was Weber’s longest outing of the season and it matched the longest outing of her career.
Hatti Moore and Casidy Chaumont got things started early for the Tigers. Moore roped a two-out single into left field before advancing to second on a passed ball. Casidy Chaumont then lined a 2-2 pitch off the pitcher’s glove and beat the throw to first. The throw from the LSU pitcher was errant and allowed Moore to score, giving Mizzou an early 1-0 lead after the first.
Weber worked around a pair of walks in the second to maintain the Mizzou lead. She held the Bayou Bengals without a hit into the fifth inning.
Mizzou jumped back on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Cayla Kessinger led off the inning with her 12th home run of the season to right center. Emma Raabe drew a walk and Riley Frizell drew a walk after a Kendyll Bailey sacrifice bunt. Brooke Wilmes singled up the middle to drive in another, making it 3-0 for Missouri.
Weber’s no-hit bid was broken up with two outs in the fifth. A bloop single on the infield gave LSU their first hit. The next batter lined a triple down the right field line to put LSU on the board. Weber ended the inning with a big strikeout to strand the runner on third, holding the score at 3-1.
TURNING POINT
Mizzou gained a big insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Emma Raabe and Kendyll Bailey got things started with back-to-back one-out singles. After a fielder’s choice, Brooke Wilmes drove the first pitch that she saw off the third baseman’s glove for her second RBI single of the afternoon. Missouri loaded the bases with two outs, but they could not add any more runs, entering the seventh with a 4-1 lead.
Jordan Weber was able to close out the game, going all seven innings for the first time this season.
TOP TIGERS
Jordan Weber tossed a complete game two-hitter with four strikeouts. She also earned her 10th win of the season, becoming the second Mizzou pitcher to reach that mark.
Cayla Kessinger blasted her 12th home run of the season, adding to the Mizzou lead in the fourth inning.
Brooke Wilmes had a big game for Mizzou, going 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Casidy Chaumont impressed with her glove in left field once again, making two diving catches. Chaumont also went 1-for-3 with a single that led to a run in the first.
NOTES
Mizzou won an SEC Tournament game for the first time since 2015.
The two hits allowed by Weber are tied for a season-low in a seven-inning game for Mizzou.
Cayla Kessinger moved into a tie for eighth in Mizzou history with her 34th career home run, matching Hatti Moore’s career total. On the home run, Kessinger reached 100 RBI for her career.
The Tigers have hit 80 home runs on the season, the second most in a single season in program history. The program record is 82, set in 2005.
UP NEXT
Mizzou will take on No. 4 Florida in the SEC Semifinals on ESPN2. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT.
