Mizzou defeats Iowa in walk-off fashion, secures four wins to open season

CLEARWATER, Fla. (KMIZ)

No. 15 Mizzou Softball is walking away from its season-opening tournament with four wins in five games, including two over top-20 opponents.

The Tigers (4-1) survived a scare from Iowa (2-3) with a walk-off wild pitch to earn a 3-2 win in their final game of the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic.

Stefania Abruscato earned All-Tournament honors for her 7-for-16 performance at the event, including one home run and four RBI's

MU faced a one-run deficit in the home half of the seventh inning but capitalized on a pair of miscues with two outs to complete a comeback victory. First, Julia Crenshaw scored the game-tying run on an error from Iowa's Jalen Adams, allowing Mya Dodge to reach base safely to keep the frame alive. Then, Danielle Blackstun scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch from Adams to seal the win.

Mizzou only tallied five hits in the contest, highlighted by Abby Hay's first home run of the season. The Columbia native also recorded the team's only RBI in the game. Abruscato, Kara Daly, Sophie Smith and Claire Cahalan each accounted for one hit.

Marissa McCann tossed four innings in the circle, allowing one unearned run on three hits with three strikeouts. Nathalie Touchet pitched 2.1 innings out of the bullpen and was not charged with any earned runs during her two-hit outing. However, Taylor Pannell was awarded the win with her 0.2 inning in relief of Touchet.

Defensively, MU committed two uncharacteristic errors, which led to Iowa's only two runs in the game.

Up next - Mizzou will take a break from tournament action to face UCF in Orlando, Florida. First pitch for this mid-week matchup is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 11 at 5 p.m.