Shutdown pitching combined with key hits early helped Missouri softball beat Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at home 4-1.

Senior shortstop Jenna Laird started the bottom of the first inning with an infield hit. With one out, senior Maddie Gallagher singled to center field to drive in Laird. 

SIUE responded with a run to tie the game in the second inning. After a walk from junior Lauryn Yslava to get on base, junior Kaylynn Salyars brought her home on a double for the first Cougar run. 

Missouri responded to start the second inning with a walk from freshman catcher Stefania Abruscato. After two straight outs, sophomore outfielder Kayley Lenger broke the tie with a home run. This marked Lenger’s second home run of the season so far. 

“[I was] just trying to get on time [with the pitch] … know that if she left one over the plate that I had to do some damage with it,” Lenger said after the game.

Sophomore pitcher Lilly Whitten proceeded to lock down the SIUE offense. Whitten pitched the first six innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out six batters. In all three of Witten’s starts, the sophomore has struck out six-plus batters. 

“My changeup was working really well and my curve[ball], just hitting those corners,” Whitten said.

Whitten was helped in part thanks to several key defensive plays in the sixth inning from second inning Maddie Gallagher. The top play came when Gallagher dove to retrieve the ball, spinning around towards first base to throw out the runner.

“She can read that swing … to give her that advantage to get into the 3-4 hole and make an unbelievable play,” head coach Larissa Anderson said after the game. “Those are the things you really can’t teach.”

The Tigers added one final insurance run in the sixth inning. With two outs, freshman Abby Hay pushed a single past the infield and into left field to reach first base. Anderson decided to pinch-run freshman Claire Cahalan in place of Hay. The decision immediately paid dividends, as Cahalan scored all the way from first on a single from Abruscato.

“Honestly when [Abby] hits I hit, it just hypes me up,” Abruscato said.

Cahalan alongside fellow freshman Danielle Blackstun serve as the primary pinch runners for the team thanks to their speed. The duo has combined for 24 runs on only 14 at-bats. 

“Blackstun and Cahalan can get in the game … and win the game for us,” Anderson said.

With a three-run lead entering the seventh inning, sophomore pitcher Taylor Pannell entered the game. Pannell ended the game after three straight groundouts on nine pitches. This marked the ninth save for Pannell this season, extending her lead in the category across all Division 1 pitchers. She hopes to break the single-season save record, which currently sits at 15.

“For someone to embrace that role … it’s really really rare,” Anderson said.

This marked the final midweek matchup for Missouri, leaving only three SEC series left before the postseason.

Edited by Michael Stamps | mstamps@themaneater.com 

Copy edited by Sterling Sewell | ssewell@themaneater.com 

Edited by Genevieve Smith | gsmith@themaneater.com