MU sweeps home-opening doubleheader to begin Mizzou Invitational
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Mizzou Softball treated fans to a pair of wins in its first two games on its home field this season.
The Tigers (13-13) earned a 9-1 victory in run-rule fashion over South Dakota State (13-14) and a 7-4 comeback win over Princeton (4-11) on the first day of the Mizzou Invitational.
MU immediately made some noise in the first frame of game one. Head Coach Larissa Anderson's team recorded a seven-run inning to take the lead, featuring a three-run home run from Madison Walker and run-scoring doubles from Kara Daly and Julia Crenshaw. South Dakota State cut into that seven-run advantage with a solo blast from Mia Jarecki in the third frame, but Crenshaw finished off a 2-for-2, 4-RBI effort at the dish with her seventh home run of the season to put Mizzou in position for the run-rule victory.
While Crenshaw was the only player to post a multi-hit performance for the Tigers, four other players recorded one hit, including Walker, Daly, Taylor Ebbs and Madison Uptegrove.
Cierra Harrison pitched all five innings, earning the win by holding South Dakota State to just one run on four hits and striking out three batters.
Unlike the first game, MU had to play-from-behind in game two. Princeton scored four unanswered runs in the fourth inning, courtesy of a three-run home run from Julia Dumais and an RBI single from Sonia Zhang, putting them ahead 4-2 in the home half of the frame.
However, the Tigers responded by tallying five straight runs in three innings to post a come-from-behind win. Abby Hay sparked the rally with an RBI double in the bottom half of the fourth inning, and then, Walker and Uptegrove each added home runs to give their team a comfortable three-run lead. Walker's home run was her team-leading 11th of the 2025 campaign while Uptegrove's was the first of her collegiate career.
Crenshaw and Kayley Lenger both recorded two hits against Princeton while six other players finished with one hit each for the Tigers. Walker, Hay and Uptegrove all finished with two RBI's in the victory.
Nathalie Touchet was awarded the win with 1.2 shutout innings out of the bullpen, giving up only three hits during that stretch, and Marissa McCann earned a two-inning, no-hit save with a three-strikeout effort in the circle. Taylor Pannell was MU's starting pitcher in game two, allowing four runs on six hits with five strikeouts over 3.1 frames.
Up next - MU resumes the Mizzou Invitational on Friday, March 14 with a showdown against Michigan. First pitch is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.
