Mizzou clinches first SEC series win, expands school tradition

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Mizzou Softball has secured one last win for its seniors on their home turf.

The Tigers (25-30) captured a 1-0 victory over No. 24 Georgia (30-19) in their regular season finale, winning its first series over a conference opponent this season.

Along with collecting a win in their final game at Mizzou Softball Stadium, the team's five seniors also had the honor of expanding on a longtime school tradition. MU's Class of 2025 became the first group to earn a piece of the stadium's new 'Rock M' that proudly rests beyond the center-field wall.

"When I first came here to Mizzou, and getting the understanding of the history of what the 'Rock M' is at Faurot Field, it's something that I share with every single recruit that comes here on campus," head coach Larissa Anderson said. "Being able to take the tradition from Faurot and bring it into our own softball stadium, it just adds to the character and what it really means to be a Missouri Tiger. It's not just football, it's every sport here and it's every student here, so, being able to honor our seniors with taking home a Rock M, they're taking a piece of Mizzou back home with them."

You can watch the full postgame press conferences with Coach Anderson and Mizzou pitchers Jayci Kruse, Taylor Pannell and Cierra Harrison in the slideshow above.

MU saw phenomenal performances from both Harrison and Pannell in the circle. Harrison tossed six shutout innings and allowed just two hits with zero walks, and Pannell retired Georgia in order in the final frame to clinch her 3rd save of the season. The Lee's Summit native struck out two of the three batters she faced in the seventh inning.

Both teams recorded just five combined hits, but Mizzou was the only team to capitalize on one of its turns at the plate. Fr. Tolton alum Madison Uptegrove scored the game's only run with a 240-foot solo shot in the second inning, marking her fifth home run of the year. Taylor Ebbs and Claire Cahalan also each posted singles in Saturday's win.

Up next - Mizzou is the No. 14 seed in next week's SEC Tournament and will face No. 11-seed Ole Miss on Tuesday, May 6 in the opening round at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Georgia. First pitch will be 35 minutes after the conclusion of No. 12-seed Georgia's first-round matchup with No. 13-seed Kentucky at 12 p.m.