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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Freshman Laurin Krings kept the UNI bats in check the entire afternoon to lead the Tigers to a 4-0 victory to advance to the Regional Final. Krings no-hit the Panthers into the seventh inning, where it was broken up with two outs.
The pitchers from each side were able to keep the bats in check early. Hatti Moore was the lone baserunner in the first inning. She smacked a single into left with two outs in the first, but Mizzou was unable to bring her around.
Neither pitcher allowed a baserunner until the third. With one out, Abby George slapped a single to the left side of the infield and advanced to second on a throwing error. The Tigers were unable to bring her around despite a deep line drive to left field from Jenna Laird.
Laurin Krings ran into trouble in the bottom of the third. After retiring the first eight batters that she faced, Krings walked back-to-back batters to put a runner in scoring position for UNI. However, the freshman was able to record her fourth strikeout of the game to escape the jam.
TURNING POINT
Mizzou was able to jump on the board in the fourth. With two outs, Kimberly Wert smashed a solo home run to left center field. It was her 17th home run of the season, matching Hatti Moore for the team lead. The Tigers led 1-0 after the fourth.
Each team went down in order in the fifth inning. Laurin Krings added two more strikeouts to her total to eight for the game.
Brooke Wilmes led off the sixth inning with a lined shot over the left center field wall to double the Mizzou lead at 2-0. In the bottom half of the sixth, Laurin Krings walked the leadoff batter, but she was able to get out of the inning with a popup and a 4-3 double play from Kendyll Bailey.
Missouri was able to put the game away in the top half of the seventh. Kimberly Wert led off with a walk and Cayla Kessinger smashed a single through the left side. With runners on the corners and one out, Kendyll Bailey smacked an 0-2 pitch into right center that drove in one run and a second was able to come home when the center fielder could not pick it up. The Tigers led 4-0 entering the bottom of the seventh, looking to secure the victory and the no-hitter.
Krings battled with the leadoff batter in the inning, reaching a 3-2 count. After a pair of foul balls, Krings got her to swing for the first out of the inning. She was able to force the next batter to pop up to the right side where Kendyll Bailey settled under it. Only one out away from the program’s 40th no-hitter, UIC was able to knock a single into left field to break it up. For good measure, Krings struck out the final batter of the game to match a career high.
TOP TIGERS
Laurin Krings was spectacular in the circle for the Tigers. She went all seven innings, allowing only one hit and striking out 10.
Kimberly Wert smashed her 17th home run of the season to give Mizzou the lead, which proved to be all that the Tigers needed.
Brooke Wilmes smashed a solo shot of her own to reach 10 home runs on the season.
Kendyll Bailey recorded an RBI single in the seventh that led to two runs for Mizzou. She also recorded a 4-3 double play to end the sixth.
NOTES
Krings matched a career high with 10 strikeouts in the contest.
Brooke Wilmes joined Wert, Moore and Kessinger with double-digit home runs.
The Tigers reached 40 wins on the field for the first time since 2016.
UP NEXT
The Tigers will play in the Regional Final on Sunday at 1 p.m. The opponent and broadcast are still to be determined.
