Mizzou softball stuns No. 6 Alabama for highest ranked win of the season

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

After dropping the opener against No. 6 Alabama in the second week of conference play, Mizzou managed to beat the Tide, 5-2, handing them just their second loss of the season.

The visitors managed to get onto the board first, thanks to a pair of home runs which came within the first three at bats of the game, needing just 11 pitches to do so. The Tigers managed to stop the run after the pair of scores, and held them at just the two.

Mizzou needed a few innings to get going offensively, but when they found their stride, they couldn't be stopped. Sidney Forrester brought in the Tigers' first run in the third thanks to a defensive error from Alabama, cutting the deficit in half. Sophie Smith then came to the plate just a few batters later with the bases loaded, and blasted one out to the warning track. The ball one-hopped the wall, scoring two more on the ground rule double to put the home side in front.

Stefania Abruscato extended the lead even more in the fourth when she crushed her third home run of the season over the right field wall. Kayley Lenger popped a triple to start the sixth, and was brough home on a single to shallow center field from Linny Ramsey.

While the offense was piling on runs, the defense held firm, keeping Alabama at just the pair of runs. Cierra Harrison found a groove in the circle after giving up the two early home runs. After those first scores, she didn't allow another run, and just three hits throughout her stint.

After four and a third, Abby Carr came into the game in relief, and kept a level head through the Tide's attempts to claw back into the game. Alabama loaded the bases in the top of the seventh with two outs, but the freshman managed to draw a soft line drive to Madison Uptegrove at short, who secures the final out of the game, securing Mizzou's win.

The win over Alabama is the highest-ranked win of 2026, and the highest since they took down No. 1 Texas A&M on April, 18 of last season.

Up Next - Mizzou will try to secure the series win in game three against the Tide. First pitch is scheduled for noon on Sunday, March 22.