No. 25/23 Softball Drops SEC Opener to No. 16/16 Kentucky

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 25/23 University of Missouri softball team (16-7, 0-1 SEC) dropped its 2023 SEC opener to No. 16/16 Kentucky (14-5-1, 1-0 SEC), 5-0, Friday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.

The Tigers offense only compiled two hits as Stephanie Schoonover threw a complete-game shutout for the Wildcats. Schoonover improved to 9-1 with a 15-strikeout outing, allowing just two hits and a pair of walks. 

Kentucky took an early 1-0 lead off an RBI single from Kayla Kowalik in the third before Erin Coffel’s solo home run increased the margin to 2-0 in the fourth. 

Vanessa Nesby registered a RBI infield hit in the fifth before the Wildcats added a pair of insurance runs in the seventh to seal the win.

Payton Jackson notched the Tigers first hit of the game with a single to left in the bottom of the fifth. 

Alex Honnold added an infield hit to the shortstop the following frame. 

Laurin Krings pitched a complete game in the SEC opener, tallying five strikeouts. She allowed five runs on 10 hits in the loss. 

NOTES

• Alex Honnold and Payton Jackson both notched hits (both 1-for-3) against Kentucky. 
• With the hit, Alex Honnold extended her hitting streak to 11 games (17-game reached base streak). She appeared back in the starting lineup after missing the past four games with an injury. 
• Payton Jackson added a stolen base. She has now knocked a hit in three-straight games and grabbed a stolen base in both home games this week.
• Jenna Laird and Kara Daly both picked up walks (four and five game reached base streaks). 
• Laurin Krings tallied her fourth complete game in the circle. 
• Friday’s two hits is a season low. 
• For head coach Larissa Anderson, the loss is her first against Kentucky in her tenure at Missouri. Anderson entered the game Friday with a 6-0 mark against the Wildcats, dating back to 2019. 

UP NEXT

The Tigers continue their 2023 SEC opening weekend against No. 16/16 Kentucky Saturday and Sunday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. First pitch is 1 p.m., CT both days. 

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• For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team @MizzouSoftball (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
• Single game tickets are currently on sale. There are also limited reserved bleacher seats and berm season tickets still available. Tickets can be purchased online.