UPDATE: Tigers fall to Gators in SEC title game

***UPDATE: SATURDAY, 10:06 P.M.***

Chelsea Thomas was able to pitch the Missouri Tigers to the SEC Tournament championship game. She was not, however, able to a victory.

Mizzou head coach Ehren Earleywine decided to throw Thomas for the second time Saturday against Florida in the SEC Championship game, but the reigning SEC Pitcher of the Year was only able to throw two innings.

Missouri jumped out to a 2-0 lead on Florida thanks to Kelsea Roth’s second homer of the day, but Thomas could not hold the lead. She gave a up a two-run homer of her own before Earleywine yanked her in favor of Lindsey Muller.

Muller and Nicole Hudson combined to allow eight more Florida runs, and the Tigers lost 10-4.

Mizzou will find out their NCAA Tournament seeding Sunday.

The Missouri Tiger softball team, not surprisingly, will have a chance to be Mizzou’s first team champion in the SEC.

Backed by seven shutout innings from Chelsea Thomas — working on an extra day’s rest due to weather — the Tigers beat No. 4 Tennessee 3-0 in one of the semifinal games Saturday.

No. 2 Florida beat Georgia earlier in the day and will play No. 8 Missouri in the title game Saturday night at 7 p.m. CST.

Thomas struck out nine Volunteer hitters and allowed just five hits.

Getting the rest she received on Friday is apparently the secret to success for the newest SEC Pitcher of the Year. Coming off a day of rest, Thomas is 15-1 this season with a 0.74 ERA.

The Volunteers became the fourth consecutive opponent Thomas has shut out.

Mizzou scored its three runs on a solo home run by Kelsea Roth and a two-run double from Jenna Marston.