No. 13 Missouri traveled to Athens, Georgia for a top-15 showdown against No. 9 Georgia. While the winners changed, every game in this three-game series ended with a final score of 4-2. Missouri drops to 35-13 on the year and 8-10 in SEC play.   

Missouri won the first game 4-2, earning senior Laurin Krings her 10th win of the season and the 50th of her career. Krings crossed back into the win column after pitching 5.1 innings and allowing two runs on five hits, lowering her season ERA to 3.25. Freshman Marissa McCann relieved Krings in the sixth inning, throwing 0.2 scoreless innings while allowing only one hit. Sophomore Taylor Pannell pitched the seventh inning to finish the game. She allowed zero runs and zero hits while also striking out one batter to earn her 10th save of the year.  

Freshman first baseman Abby Hay continued her hot streak offensively, going 2-2 with a triple and a walk. Hay tripled to deep right field in the second inning before scoring on an RBI groundout from freshman designated player Stefania Abruscato for the first run of the series. In the top of the fifth inning, senior center fielder Alex Honnold singled, scoring sophomore right fielder Kayley Lenger. Georgia’s catcher then made a throwing error trying to throw out Honnold at second base which allowed Honnold to come all the way around and score, extending Missouri’s lead to 3-0. Sophomore Katie Chester came off the bench and hit a double that gave Missouri a 4-0 lead. Georgia responded in the bottom of the sixth with two runs on two singles.    

Georgia took game two 4-2 behind strong pitching that stifled the Tigers. Graduate student Shelby Walters threw 5.1 innings before being replaced by junior Lilli Backes. Walters allowed five hits and two runs while adding three strikeouts. Backes picked up her sixth save of the year after throwing 1.2 innings and not allowing any runs to score. 

Missouri put sophomore Cierra Harrison in the circle to combat Walters. Harrison was credited with the loss, allowing four runs and six hits in four innings pitched. Sophomore Lilly Whitten relieved Harrison in the fifth inning and finished the game in the circle. Whitten allowed just one hit and zero runs over her two innings pitched. 

Missouri looked stifled offensively, putting up two runs while striking out four times. Hay collected two more hits, going 2-3 with a double and a run scored. Junior third baseman Kara Daly hit a sacrifice fly to right field to score Hay in the fourth inning. In the sixth inning, Hay singled to score Honnold. But, Hay didn’t get an RBI because Georgia’s right fielder made an error that allowed Honnold to score. 

In the finale of the doubleheader, Georgia won 4-2 once again in a case of deja vu. Marissa McCann started this game and pitched two innings before being replaced by Krings. McCann allowed three runs and three hits, suffering the loss to drop her season record to 7-3. Krings finished the game, throwing four innings and only letting up one unearned run after a sac bunt while picking up four strikeouts.     

Hay went 2-3 yet again, but this time with a single and a solo home run. She finished the series red hot, going 6-8 with two runs scored and one home run. Kara Daly added two hits herself, finishing 2-3 with a double and a solo home run. 

The Tigers had chances to score as they collected a total of eight hits and two walks on the day, but they were unable to cash in on any of those opportunities. The Tigers also stranded 10 runners on base, making it difficult to win games without clutch hitting. Honnold went 2-4 with her 20th double of the season, setting a new program record in that category. 

Missouri has six games left on the season, three at home against No. 17 Mississippi State and three on the road against South Carolina. Afterward the Tigers begin the postseason with the SEC conference tournament starting on May 7.        

Edited by Dylan Heinrich

Copy edited by Sterling Sewell | ssewell@themaneater.com                  

Edited by Genevieve Smith | gsmith@themaneater.com