Missouri softball dropped its three-game series at Kentucky on Sunday in a hard fought battle, ultimately losing 3–2. The Tigers played well both offensively and defensively, but the team was unable to come back from two Kentucky solo home runs.

Missouri scored first in the top of the second inning after a single from freshman Regan Nash that sent junior Chloe Rathburn home. A defensive error by Kentucky allowed the bases to be loaded for Missouri, but they stranded all three runners.

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Paige Lowary let up a home run in the bottom of the second inning, which tied the score.

With two outs and two strikes in the top of the fourth inning, senior Emily Crane launched a solo home run over the center field fence to put Missouri in the lead. This was Crane’s 13th home run of the season.

The Wildcats were able to tie the game with a sacrifice fly in the next frame, but the score stayed 2–2 for the next few innings as the pitchers went to work on the offenses. That was until Kentucky hit another solo home run and took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning.

After an intentional walk to Kentucky’s seventh-hole hitter, Lowary came through with another strikeout, her fourth of the day, to end the frame.

Mizzou needed at least one run scored to have a chance at winning the game. With two outs and two runners on base, Nash stepped up to home plate looking for another big hit. A chopper that looked like it was going to center field was stopped short by the pitcher to end the game.

With this loss, Missouri dropped to 29–12 overall and 6–9 in the Southeastern Conference.

Up next, the team will travel to Iowa for a midweek doubleheader this Wednesday. Next weekend they will be at home for another SEC matchup against Texas A&M, a team that is a couple of spots ahead of the Tigers in the national rankings, so it will be crucial that Missouri does not drop that series as they get closer to the SEC tournament in May.

_Edited by Alec Lewis | alewis@themaneater.com_