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COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 14/14 University of Missouri softball team (37-14, 10-11 SEC) dropped its SEC series finale to No. 18/18 Mississippi State (31-16, 10-11 SEC), 3-2, Monday night at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.
Missouri won its fourth SEC series of the 2024 campaign, taking two of three on the visiting Bulldogs.
The contest saw both starting pitchers reach the seventh inning in a tightly contested affair.
Senior Laurin Krings was dominant in the circle for Missouri, allowing two runs on five hits with six strikeouts over 6.2 innings. Krings became the first pitcher on Mizzou’s staff to reach 100 strikeouts in the 2024 season (105).
Leadoff batter Jenna Laird ignited MU’s offense in the bottom of the first inning, recording her second double in the last three games. Laird has now recorded a hit in each of her last three contests (five hits over MSU series).
She crossed home plate on a Maddie Gallagher sacrifice fly to put the Tigers ahead, 1-0.
The Bulldogs then threatened the Tigers with bases loaded in the top half of the third inning, but MU was able to escape the jam with no runs allowed.
Mississippi State put runners on the corners in the top half of the fifth inning, but the rally was stymied by a groundout.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, senior Alex Honnold launched a home run over the center field wall to push the Mizzou edge to 2-0. The homer marked her fifth of the 2024 season.
The Bulldogs then rallied for three unanswered runs in the seventh to secure the Monday win.
Matalasi Faapito hit a pinch-hit RBI single to cut the deficit in half. Nadia Barbary added a two-run double to provide the Bulldogs their first advantage (3-2) of the night.
The Tigers were then retired in order in the bottom half of the frame.
GAME NOTES
- Jenna Laird recorded her third straight game with a hit and second double in her last three games. Laird has now recorded a hit in each of her last three contests (five hits over MSU series).
- Jenna Laird picked up her team-leading 14th steal of the 2024 season. She finished 1-for-3 with a double and a run Monday.
- Jenna Laird tallied her ninth double in 2024.
- Alex Honnold logged her fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth inning, extending her hitting streak to seven straight games.
- Alex Honnold has now recorded a hit in eight of her last nine games.
- Alex Honnold finished Monday 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI to go with an HBP.
- Maddie Gallagher has reached base safely in four straight contests. She finished Monday 1-for-1 with an RBI and an HBP.
- Laurin Krings has recorded a punchout in each of her last 53 appearances as she surpassed 100 strikeouts this season (105). She became the first pitcher on Mizzou’s staff to reach 100 strikeouts in 2024.
- Laurin Krings allowed two runs on five hits with six strikeouts over 6.2 innings in the start.
- Missouri won its fourth SEC series of the 2024 campaign, taking two of three on the visiting Bulldogs. The Tigers conclude SEC home play with an 8-4 mark.
- Mizzou leads the all-time series against the Bulldogs 14-10.
- Head coach Larissa Anderson is now 7-6 against Mississippi State.
LOOKING AHEAD
- Mizzou next closes out its 2024 regular season with a three-game series at South Carolina. Games are set for Friday (5 p.m., CT), Saturday (5 p.m., CT) and Sunday (2 p.m., CT) in Columbia, South Carolina.
- The Tigers then look to postseason play, beginning with the SEC Tournament, which is slated for May 7-11 in Auburn, Alabama.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
- For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team @MizzouSoftball (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
