Two-day quarterfinal win: Mizzou softball tops Arkansas to advance to SEC Tournament semifinals
AUBURN, Ala. (KMIZ)
No. 5 seeded Mizzou advanced to its third SEC Tournament Semifinal in four years with a 3-1 win over No. 4 seeded Arkansas on Friday morning. The game actually got started on Thursday night, but due to weather in Alabama, had to be finished the next morning.
MU and Arkansas paused the quarterfinal game in the fifth inning on Thursday night, as the Tigers led 2-1.
Head coach Larissa Anderson's team came in with the right mindset to restart the game. With runners already sitting on the corners from the night before, shortstop Jenna Laird picked up right where she left off. The senior stole home to put her team up 3-1 in the first few minutes back in action. Over the course of the two days of action, Laird hit an RBI double on Thursday and manufactured that run on Friday.
The sixth inning was a bit of a nail-biter for Tiger softball fans, as the Razorbacks managed to load the bases. Freshman pitcher Marissa McCann came in to play hero, though. She struck out two batters to end the inning and eliminate the threat, which kept the score 3-1.
Sophomore Cierra Harrison got the start in the circle for Mizzou in the quarterfinal and earned the win, as well, to improve to 14-3 in 2024. She fanned two batters over the course of five innings. In those five innings, she allowed just one run on four hits.
Once again, sophomore Taylor Pannell came in to close the game for the Tigers. She earned her 14th save of the season close the door on the rival Razorbacks, with one strikeout and no hits allowed. She is now just one save shy of tying the Division I record for saves.
Laird led the charge at the plate for Mizzou, going 2-for-4 with one RBI on two hits, also stealing home to give her team a critical two-run lead. Maddie Gallagher was other Tiger to drive in an RBI on Thursday night.
Up next - No. 5 seeded Mizzou will face No. 8 seeded LSU on Friday in the SEC Tournament Semifinals. Game time is slated for 3 p.m. CT.
