Mizzou falls one game short of a trip to the Women’s College World Series

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Mizzou softball fell in heartbreaking fashion to Duke on Sunday night. With a trip to the Women's College World Series on the line, the Tigers lost to the Blue Devils 4-3 in nine innings. Although it would have been MU's first trip to the Women's College World Series since 2011, the team did still finish the 2024 season 48-18 overall.

You can watch the full postgame press conference with head coach Larissa Anderson, senior Jenna Laird and freshman Abby Hay in the video player below.

It was a pitcher's duel all the way until the ninth and final inning.

Laurin Krings got the start in the circle, once again, and carried a shutout into the ninth inning. That's when D'Auna Jennings lifted up a solo home run off of the senior to take the first lead of the day. After that homer, head coach Larissa Anderson pulled Krings and decided to go with closer Taylor Pannell. The Blue Devils capitalized on that change by sending in two more runs. Anderson then changed to freshman Marissa McCann, but Duke sent in a run off her, as well, to go up by four runs.

Mizzou fought until the very end, though. Jenna Laird and Alex Honnold each got on base with singles in the bottom of the ninth. They were brought home on a three-run homer from Rock Bridge alum Abby Hay to put MU within one. However, it was not enough.

Krings is handed the loss for Mizzou. She went 8.0 innings and allowed one run on four hits and tallied three strikeouts.

For the Blue Devils, Cassidy Curd earned the win to improve to 13-3 overall. She stuck out seven Mizzou batters and allowed six hits.

Up next - Mizzou will look ahead to the 2025 season.