ORLANDO, Fla. – No. 19/20 Mizzou Softball came out victorious in a mid-week Top 25 matchup that lived up to the hype. It was a gritty, back-and-forth affair that featured five combined home runs.
The Tigers broke open the game in the top of the second inning, putting up a crooked number. After Alex Honnold led off the inning with a two-strike single to left field and stole a base, Emma Raabe came to the plate and drove a 3-2 pitch over the left-center wall to give Mizzou a 2-0 lead. Brooke Wilmes came up to the plate with two outs in the inning and ripped a single right past the pitcher’s head to bring up Cayla Kessinger.
After Wilmes advanced to second on a wild pitch, Cayla Kessinger blasted her third home run of the season over the right field wall to put Mizzou up by a score of 4-0. UCF was forced into a pitching change. However, the new pitcher’s first batter was Hatti Moore. Moore blasted a 2-1 pitch well over the left field wall for a team-leading fifth time this season, giving the Tigers a five-run cushion.
UCF did not go quietly. In the bottom-half of the third inning, the Knight’s first two batters reached on infield singles. After a fly out to center, UCF’s cleanup hitter, Blair, drove a no-doubt home run over the center field wall to shrink the gap to two runs. After a walk, UCF’s Doherty drove a ball over the left field wall to tie the game at five.
TURNING POINT
Megan Schumacher entered the game for the last out of the third inning, which was a deep fly-ball to left field. Mizzou quickly responded in the top of the fourth inning with Jenna Laird ripping a one-out triple off the left field wall. Brooke Wilmes was Mizzou’s next batter and she hit a ground ball to the second baseman, who fired the ball home to attempt to catch a breaking Laird. The throw was short of the plate, and Laird was able to slide in on the wide side to give the Tigers the lead once again at 6-5.
Schumacher was able to keep the UCF bats in check for most of the evening, only allowing one hit in 2.2 innings of work. Emma Nichols entered the game in the sixth inning, after a UCF batter reached on an error. Catcher Hatti Moore gunned down a pinch runner attempting to steal second for the first out of the inning and Emma Nichols was able to draw two groundouts from the UCF batters to get out of the sixth.
Mizzou threatened in the top of the seventh inning by loading the bases with two outs. Cayla Kessinger and Kimberly Wert each ripped singles right over the UCF pitcher’s head and Casidy Chaumont earned a full-count walk. Nonetheless, the Tigers were not able to add an insurance run.
UCF had one final chance to tie or win the game in the bottom of the seventh. Emma Nichols was able to control the Knight’s bat with a strike out that was sandwiched by two weak grounders back to her. UCF slugger Georgia Blair was on deck at the conclusion of the game.
TOP TIGERS
Emma Raabe was incredibly productive for Mizzou in the tense matchup. The Nebraskan went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a two-run blast. Raabe has matched her home run totals from the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
Cayla Kessinger provided a spark for the Tiger bats, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a two-run shot to left field.
Megan Schumacher was able to collect the win for her dominant performance in relief.
Emma Nichols earned the first save of her career after going 2.0 innings and retiring every batter that she faced.
NOTES
Three straight games with at least three home runs for Mizzou.
Cayla Kessinger is one home run shy of moving into a tie for 10th on Mizzou’s home runs list. Kimberly Wert is currently tied for 10th with 26 home runs.
Jenna Laird has hit safely in eight-straight games and she has reached safely in every game of her career. The freshman has scored a run in eight of nine games.
Kimberly Wert continued her, now, eight game hit-streak, but snapped her six-game multi-hit streak.
The Tigers wrap up their “Florida” schedule after playing the first nine games of the season in the state.
Brooke Wilmes has scored and hit safely in seven consecutive games.
UP NEXT
Mizzou will travel west along the Gulf Coast to Mobile, Alabama for the South Alabama Tournament for five games from February 26th-28th.
Visit MUTigers.com for the latest information on all things Mizzou Softball. Tiger fans can also follow the program on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@MizzouSoftball).
