COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri softball (19-9, 0-2 SEC) concluded play at the Mizzou Classic with a two-game split, falling to Ball State by a score of 4-3 and then shutting out Stanford 5-0.
GAME ONE
The Tigers led early in the first game of the day against Ball State. Jenna Laird doubled down the left field line with one out to get things started and Kimberly Wert singled to put runners on the corners. Kara Daly put Mizzou out front with an RBI single to right before Kendyll Bailey doubled the lead with an RBI single of her own, making it 2-0.
Ball State tied it up with a two-run home run in the top of the third inning from Wynn.
Kara Daly again gave the Tigers the lead in the bottom of the third with a sacrifice fly to center, making it 3-2 for Mizzou. The Tigers left two runners in scoring position in the inning.
The Cardinals jumped out in front in the top of the sixth. The leadoff runner was walked and bunted over to second. A one out double to left center from Mathews tied it up at three runs apiece. She then moved over to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly to center.
Mizzou ran into trouble in the top of the seventh. Each of the first three runners reached base after a walk, a single and an error. Emma Nichols entered with nobody out and the bases loaded and stranded all three runners.
The Tigers moved a runner into scoring position in the bottom of the seventh, but Mizzou was unable to push a run across to tie it up.
GAME TWO
Laurin Krings was dominant in the final game of the tournament for the Tigers. She picked up her fourth shutout victory of the season while striking out eight.
In the bottom of the first inning, a two-out error allowed Mizzou to load the bases. Alex Honnold put the Tigers out in front in the first inning with a two-out, two-run single to center.
Stanford threatened in the top of the fourth. Gindlesperge led off the inning with a blooper into right field for a double. Jenna Laird then snagged a line drive and turned an unassisted double play to end the threat.
Megan Moll led off the bottom of the fifth with a pinch hit solo home run down the left field line to make it 3-0. Alex Honnold then pushed the lead to 5-0 with a two-run home run to left field in the sixth.
Laurin Krings completed the shutout by starting a 1-4-3 double play. She finished with eight strikeouts and no walks.
NOTES
Alex Honnold drove in a career-high four runs in the win over Stanford. She went 2-for-3 on the day while reaching base in six of her seven plate appearances.
Honnold smacked her second home run of the season against Stanford.
Laurin Krings picked up her ninth win of the season and her eighth-career shutout.
In three of her four shutout wins, Krings did not walk a batter.
Megan Moll crushed her first home run since the 2020 season as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the fifth. Her last home run was Feb. 21, 2020 against UC Davis.
Jenna Laird recorded her second multi-hit game in a row against Ball State and her tenth of the season. She surpassed 100 career hits with her single in the bottom of the third against the Cardinals.
UP NEXT
Mizzou will take on Western Illinois on Wednesday, March 23 at 4:30 p.m. CT at Mizzou Softball Stadium. The game will stream live on SECN+.
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