COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 24/25 University of Missouri softball (22-13, 3-5 SEC) completed the three-game sweep of South Carolina (18-17, 2-10 SEC) with a 2-1 win on Sunday. Kendyll Bailey’s solo home run in the bottom of the third inning was the difference.
“It’s always tough to sweep in the SEC, and it’s great to get back on track.” Head Coach Larissa Anderson said. “Great team effort and a great pitching performance by (Laurin) Krings again today, one ball just got away from her, but she kept them off balance with that changeup. It was great to have Emma (Nichols) come in and close it out. Overall just really happy with us getting back on track and the effort that we put in over the last three games.”
The Tigers led 1-0 after the first inning for the third day in a row. Jenna Laird led off the bottom of the first with a double back up the middle. With two outs, Kimberly Wert doubled to center to score Laird from second. Alex Honnold singled to left, but she and Wert were stranded on base.
South Carolina loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the second inning after a hit batter and back-to-back singles. Laurin Krings got the next batter to ground into a 4-2-3 double play, getting the out at home and at first to preserve the lead. She got the next batter to strike out swinging, ending the threat.
Jordan Fabian put the Gamecocks on the board in the top of the third inning with a solo home run on the 12th pitch of the at-bat. Krings struck out each of the next three batters to retire the side.
Kendyll Bailey put Mizzou back on top in the bottom of the third with a two-out solo home run to left field. Kimberly Wert and Alex Honnold each singled, but they were stranded on base after a strikeout ended the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, Jenna Laird led off with a triple into right center to get things started. However, Mizzou was unable to bring her in to score after a lineout, a groundout to third and a groundout to the pitcher.
Emma Nichols entered in the seventh and picked up her second save of the season, retiring all three batters that she faced.
NOTES
Kimberly Wert recorded a first inning RBI in all three games in the series.
Wert went 2-for-2 on the day with an RBI double and an intentional walk.
Jenna Laird recorded her second multi-extra base hit game of the year and the sixth of her career.
The shortstop went 2-for-3 on the afternoon with a double, a triple and a run scored. She leads the team with 12 multi-hit games on the season.
Kendyll Bailey extended her hitting streak to seven games with her solo home run in the third. She has reached base safely in 11-straight games, the longest such streak of her career.
Bailey’s homer was her eighth of the season, a career-best for the graduate student.
Laurin Krings picked up her 11th win of the season, matching her 2021 total. She also picked up her 122nd strikeout of the year which ties her single season high from the 2021 season.
Krings went six innings while allowing only one run and striking out six. She picked up two wins in a single SEC series for the first time in her career.
The Tigers sweep an SEC series for the first time on the year. Mizzou has swept the Gamecocks in back-to-back seasons.
Missouri is now 14-9 against South Carolina all-time. The Tigers have taken each of the last six games and eight of the last nine meetings.
UP NEXT
Mizzou will return to action on Tuesday evening against Kansas City. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. at Mizzou Softball game on SEC Network +.
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