TULSA, Okla. – The No. 24/23 University of Missouri Softball program (15-6) defeated Tulsa (10-10), 13-1, Sunday at the Collins Family Softball Complex to conclude the Oklahoma State/Tulsa Invitational.
Missouri went 3-2 over the weekend in Oklahoma and secured the double-digit win over Tulsa Sunday with a nine-run seventh.
Laurin Krings earned the win in the circle for the Tigers, allowing one run on six hits with five strikeouts and a walk in six innings.
Kara Daly registered a career-best five RBI while Jenna Laird (3-for-4 with 3 runs) and Katie Chester (2-for-3) each added a pair of RBI in the dominating win over Invitational co-host, Tulsa.
Mizzou kept the Golden Hurricane off the board in the first with a terrific defensive play by Chantice Phillips. Kailyn Bearpaw singled to left for Tulsa’s third-straight hit of the inning. Phillips cleanly fielded the ball in the outfield and fired home to catch the advancing runner and keep the game scoreless.
The Tigers then opened the scoring with a three-run third. Payton Jackson led off with a double before moving up a bag on a sacrifice fly.
Laird then singled home Jackson before a Daly two-run double off the left field wall.
Daly then added a RBI groundout in the fifth to make the lead 4-0.
The Golden Hurricane scratched across a run in the sixth off a RBI single from Claira Skaggs to cut the edge to 4-1.
The Tigers then put the game out of reach with a nine-run seventh that featured five hits.
Daly posted a RBI sacrifice fly to right before Chester belted a two-run double off the right field wall.
Phillips added a basehit to center to score pinch runner Hannah McGivern and increase the advantage to 8-1.
Tulsa allowed five-straight walks followed by a hit batsman to widen the gap to 12-1 Tigers.
Daly added another sacrifice fly to score Maddie Snider and cap the scoring at 13-1.
Taylor Pannell then closed out the game in the bottom of the seventh with a pair of groundouts followed by a strikeout.
NOTES
- Kara Daly registered a career-high five RBI in the win including a pair of sacrifice flies and a two-run double.
- Jenna Laird paced the Tigers at the plate with three hits (3-for-4), three runs, two RBI and a walk. She also stole a career-best matching three bases.
- Katie Chester was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles (career best) to go with two RBI and a walk.
- Julia Crenshaw, Payton Jackson, Chantice Phillips, and Maddie Snider each had a RBI. Crenshaw, Phillips, and Snider also scored twice.
- Payton Jackson notched her second double of the season.
- Julia Crenshaw stole a career-high three bases with two runs, one hit, one RBI and a walk.
- Laurin Krings earned the win in the circle for the Tigers, allowing one run on six hits with five strikeouts and a walk in six innings.
- With the win, Laurin Krings improved to 6-3 in 2023 (33-15 in her career at Mizzou).
- Taylor Pannell then closed out the game in the bottom of the seventh with a pair of groundouts followed by a strikeout.
- For Taylor Pannell, it was her sixth appearance of the season and fourth time pitching 1.0 inning in 2023.
- Eight Tigers posted a hit in the win.
- Eight Tigers scored Sunday.
- With the win, Mizzou finished the Oklahoma State/Tulsa Invitational with a 3-2 mark and split the weekend series (1-1) with Tulsa.
UP NEXT
- Mizzou will next host in-state foe Kansas City in its home opener Wednesday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m., CT.
- The Tigers then welcome Kentucky for their SEC opening weekend March 10-12 at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. First pitch is 4 p.m., CT Friday and 1 p.m., CT Saturday and Sunday.
