Missouri Softball Triumphs Over Arkansas in Weather-Delayed Match, Advances to SEC Tournament Semifinals
After enduring two days and almost as many weather delays as runs scored, Missouri softball has secured a spot in the semifinals of its conference tournament.
In the quarterfinals of the SEC Softball Tournament, No. 5-seeded Mizzou softball triumphed over No. 4 Arkansas with a score of 3-1, played out over Thursday and Friday in Auburn, Alabama. The game witnessed a breakthrough moment during the longest fifth inning imaginable.
Amidst a tied game at 1-1, Missouri shortstop Jenna Laird delivered a powerful first-pitch double in the top of the fifth, launching it straight up center field. While it fell just inches short of a home run, the hit drove home Kayley Lenger from first base, propelling MU to a 2-1 lead.
Following this pivotal hit, Laird advanced to third base on an Alex Honnold single. Arkansas opted for a pitching change, bringing in Robyn Herron to replace starter Morgan Leinstock, who had conceded seven hits, a walk, and two earned runs over four innings.
Then came a lightning strike, prompting a weather delay that extended the game into a second day. The quarterfinal matches had already been delayed for over seven hours due to adverse weather conditions that disrupted all of the day’s scheduled games. Originally slated to commence at 1 p.m. on Thursday, the Missouri-Arkansas encounter was postponed.
When the action resumed at 9 a.m. on Friday, Missouri swiftly added another run. Jenna Laird stole home during a well-executed double steal, with Alex Honnold playing a crucial decoy role while advancing to second, allowing MU to double its lead.
Missouri’s starting pitcher, Cierra Harrison, seamlessly resumed her duties after the overnight break. She began Friday’s play with a flawless 1-2-3 fifth inning, a sequence that took approximately 12 hours from start to finish due to the delay. Harrison was substituted by freshman Marissa McCann in the sixth inning after conceding a single and hitting a batter. She concluded her stint with four hits, one earned run, a walk, and two strikeouts.
In a critical moment for Missouri, the rookie McCann rose to the occasion. Despite loading the bases with no outs, McCann induced a pop-up, executed an 11-pitch strikeout, and then followed up with three consecutive strikes against pinch hitter Rylin Hedgecock to escape a dire situation.
Missouri’s closer, Taylor Pannell, entered the game in the seventh inning and delivered a performance characteristic of her season. Pannell secured her 14th save of the season, just one shy of the Division I record.
Up to that juncture, the game had been tightly contested. Missouri’s only setback occurred when Arkansas third baseman Hannah Gammill launched a solo home run over center field in the bottom of the fourth inning, leveling the score at 1-1.
Missouri seized the lead in the top of the first inning when Maddie Gallagher’s hit to left-center field should have been fielded, but a miscommunication among the Arkansas outfielders allowed Jenna Laird, who had singled and stolen second base with a deft swim move, to dash home and open the scoring.
Missouri advances to face No. 8-seeded LSU in the semifinals. This marks the Tigers’ second appearance in the conference’s final four in the past three seasons, having reached the title game in 2022.
Two additional quarterfinal matches in the tournament will be contested on Friday, with the semifinals also scheduled for the same day. The Missouri-LSU matchup is set for 3 p.m., barring any further delays. Regardless of the timing, Missouri is ready to compete in the semifinals.
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