Mizzou clinches series win on emotional Senior Day
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
No. 14 Mizzou Softball has officially earned a series win against every SEC opponent it has faced at home this season. The Tigers took down No. 18 Mississippi State 4-1 on Sunday afternoon, returning their record to the .500-mark in conference action.
Larissa Anderson and company honored five seniors following Sunday's win, including Chantice Phillips, Maddie Gallagher, Laurin Krings, Alex Honnold and Jenna Laird. Mizzou's senior class is leaving quite a legacy on the MU Softball program, and it's still being written. That group has collectively won 152 games, appeared in three NCAA Regionals and reached one NCAA Super Regional.
During Sunday's game, the Tigers scored four unanswered runs in the first five innings. Rock Bridge alum Abby Hay's fielder's choice in the first inning gave Mizzou a 1-0 lead, and then, MU added three more runs in the fourth inning on a two-RBI single from Katie Chester and an RBI single from Jenna Laird. Mississippi State managed to score its first run of the weekend in the sixth inning to cut its deficit to 4-1, but the Tigers held them off the scoreboard for the rest of the game.
Five different players posted a hit for Mizzou, including a multi-hit performance from Jenna Laird. Both the Tigers and Bulldogs ended the game with six hits.
Cierra Harrison earned the win in the circle, giving up just three hits, striking out two batters, and tallying five scoreless frames. Taylor Pannell secured her SEC-leading 11th save of the season and added two strikeouts.
Up next - Mizzou will be hunting for its first SEC series sweep of the season on Monday night in its series finale with Mississippi State. First pitch on April 29 is scheduled for 6 p.m.
