McCann’s complete-game shutout lifts Mizzou to series-knotting win over South Carolina

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Mizzou softball team sent the series against No. 25 South Carolina to a rubber match, with a 5-0 win over the Gamecocks on Saturday night.

The victory came on the back of a stellar performance from starting pitcher Marissa McCann in the circle. The junior tossed her fourth complete-game shutout of the season and her first-ever in Southeastern Conference play. She went all 7.0 innings and allowed just four hits, while striking out six Gamecock batters.

She was backed up by some pretty incredible defense, as well. South Carolina managed to threaten for the first time in the third inning, with runners on first and third and no outs. However, Claire Cahalan helped close the door on that inning, as she threw out the runner trying to sore on a flyout to left field. Then, true freshman Sidney Forrester got her team out of the inning clean, with a diving catch in right field for the third out.

Both sides remained scoreless until the third inning, when the Tiger offense was finally able to break through. With two runners on board, junior Stefania Abruscato knocked a flyout into right field to allow senior Kayley Lenger to tag up and come home to give Mizzou a 1-0 lead.

However, the bats did the most damage in the fourth inning. Southern Boone alum Gracie Britton kicked off a big frame with a bloop single that went out the Gamecock shortstop's head to bring home a pair of runs. She managed to advance to third on a throwing error with a three-run lead in hand. It quickly became a four-run lead for Mizzou, as another runner scored on a wild pitch. After that, Abruscato capped off the inning with her second RBI of the day, which came on an opposite-way single to make it 5-0.

McCann controlled the South Carolina bats for the remainder of the game to put the finishing touches on her complete-game shutout and even up the series at 1-1.

Up next - Mizzou will play for the series against the No. 25 Gamecocks on Sunday at 1 p.m.