No. 15/16 Softball Captures Series Win Over No. 2/3 LSU Saturday

COLUMBIA, Mo. –  The No. 15/16 University of Missouri softball team (25-6, 4-4 SEC) secured the series win over No. 2/3 LSU (24-4, 4-4 SEC) with a 3-2 victory in front of a single-game program-record 3,370 fans Saturday at Mizzou Softball Stadium.

Senior shortstop Jenna Laird headlined Missouri with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate and scored the game-winning run. Laird extended her reached base streak to five games with a pair of singles in the contest.

Trailing 2-0, Mizzou capitalized on pitching miscues from LSU in the third to secure the victory.

Chantice Phillips reached on an error with one out before advancing to second on a Kayley Lenger single.

Jenna Laird then brought Phillips home with an RBI single to left to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Following a flyout, Julia Crenshaw chipped in a two-out single to square the contest at 2-2.

Kara Daly then was hit by a pitch to load the bases, setting up Maddie Gallagher’s go-ahead RBI on a consecutive HBP.

LSU took an early 1-0 advantage off an Ali Newland homer to right in the first inning.

Mizzou fought back in the bottom half of the frame as Laird led off with a single. Laird worked her way to third following a passed ball and sacrifice fly from Alex Honnold. Laird was then tagged out attempting to score on a flyout.

LSU then extended its lead to 2-0 as McKenzie Redoutey homered in the following inning.

Cierra Harrison started the game for the Missouri Tigers, allowing two runs on three hits over 2.0 innings before being relieved by freshman Marissa McCann.

McCann entered the game and pitched four shutout innings out of the pen, allowing just three hits with a walk for her second-straight win.

Taylor Pannell came on in the seventh and retired the side including a punch out for the final out to secure the victory and the series win for Mizzou. Pannell recorded her sixth save of the season and now sits tied for first in the NCAA for the category.

NOTES

• Kara Daly extended her reach base streak to eight games with a hit-by-pitch.

• Jenna Laird extended her reach base streak to five games with a 2-for-3 performance with a run and an RBI.
• Jenna Laird recorded her 12th multi-hit performance of the season.
• Kayley Lenger (one run) and Maddie Gallagher (RBI) extended their hitting streaks to three games as each recorded a single in the contest. Lenger and Gallagher both finished 1-for-2.
• With an RBI single in the third inning, Julia Crenshaw recorded her team-leading 25th RBI of the season. She finished 1-for-3.
• Marissa McCann secured her second-consecutive SEC win (2-1 in SEC in 2024) after pitching 4.0 scoreless innings. She allowed just three hits and one walk to improve to 3-1 in 2024.
• Marissa McCann has now thrown 6.2 scoreless innings over the LSU series, allowing just four hits with five walks and a strikeout. She is limiting the LSU offense to a .174 batting average.
• Taylor Pannell entered in the seventh and retired the side to secure her NCAA-leading sixth save of the season.
• Taylor Pannell has now registered three-straight saves this week. Against LSU this weekend, Pannell has pitched two scoreless innings (zero runs on zero hits) with two strikeouts.
• Win the win, the Tigers secured back-to-back home SEC series victories as Mizzou took two of three on Auburn (March 8-10).
• The contest set a new single-game record with 3,370 fans in attendance at Mizzou Softball Stadium surpassing the previous record of 3,171 set against Ole Miss on April 15, 2023.
• With the victory, Missouri moves to 13-18 all-time against LSU.
• Head coach Larissa Anderson moved to a 5-6 career record against LSU.

LOOKING AHEAD  

• Mizzou wraps its weekend series against No. 2/3 LSU Sundat at 1 p.m., CT at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. The game will be available on SEC Network+.

FOLLOW THE TIGERS

• For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team @MizzouSoftball (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).