Tiger softball splits the action in day one of Mizzou Invitational
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Tiger softball ended its first day on its home field with a 1-1 in mark Mizzou Invitational action, splitting games against Wichita State and Miami (Ohio).
Head coach Larissa Anderson and her team started the day off with a 12-4 run-rule win over Wichita State, but followed that performance up with a 5-1 loss to the Miami of Ohio Redhawks. With the split in the action, the Tigers moved to 6-12 overall in 2026.
In game one against the Shockers, two Mizzou players stood out among the rest. Sophomore Sophie Smith ended the win with a season-best three RBIs, while true freshman Sidney Forrester had a career-high three-hit day, which included a two-run homer.
Despite all the offense that came out of game one, MU actually got off to a slow start against Wichita State. The Tigers went scoreless through the first two frames, while the Shockers assembled a lead. After a bloop RBI single in the fourth inning, the away team led 3-0 at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.
However, the Tigers clawed their way back in, beginning with a score on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded in the bottom of the fourth. After that, the bats caught fire. Smith smashed a three-run home run to give her team the one-run lead and Forrester followed that up with some breathing room, as she belted a two-run homer of her own to get the Tigers up 6-3.
From there, Mizzou kept pouring it on, before Haidyn Sokoloski walked off the game with a two-run single to mercy-rule the Shockers.
However, game two was a much different story for Coach Anderson and company.
The Redhawks jumped out to a lead in the third inning, scoring with a two-run homer. The group then added to their advantage with a two-run RBI to make it a 5-0 ball game at the top of the fifth inning.
But, unlike the game against Wichita State, Mizzou never fully found the answer it needed. Forrester did put the Tigers on the board with an RBI single in the home half of the fifth inning, but to no avail.
Up next - Mizzou will be back in action for day two of its home tournament. The Tigers will take on Drake at 3 pm., followed up by another meeting with Miami (Ohio) at 5:30 p.m.
