No. 15 Missouri softball is headed home after suffering two losses at the hands of an unstoppable No. 2 Michigan offense and a stunning defense during the NCAA Super Regional held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this weekend.

The Tigers lost 5–3 Saturday afternoon in the first game of the best-of-three series. Sophomore pitcher Paige Lowary started off with a rough first inning that brought three Michigan runs in on three hits. Missouri kept the game close until the bottom of the fifth inning when Michigan scored on a two-run home run and took the lead in the series.

On Sunday, Missouri came back for revenge and led the game 4–1 in the top of the seventh inning. The team was only three outs away from forcing a third game. But the Tigers couldn’t hold on, and Michigan scored four runs in the seventh inning to win 5–4 and punch their ticket to the Women’s College World Series.

Michigan led 1–0 through the bottom of the fifth. Senior Taylor Gadbois, Missouri’s lead-off and slap hitter, tied the game by hitting a double that rolled to the center field fence.

Freshman Rylee Pierce hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead 4–1. All Missouri had to do was stop Michigan’s offense in the seventh.

It was one thing after another that then led to Missouri’s downfall, starting with an easy pop-up that senior shortstop Sami Fagan dropped when she looked into the sun. Two consecutive singles loaded the bases, and a sacrifice fly by Michigan’s Sierra Romero scored one run. Two more RBI singles tied the score, and a wild pitch by Lowary allowed Michigan to take the lead.

Missouri needed one run to tie the game and two to win in the bottom of the seventh inning. They threatened, with Gadbois stealing second and third to put herself in scoring position. Senior Emily Crane struck out, and after Fagan walked, junior Amanda Sanchez grounded out to end the game.

Missouri’s 2016 season was one for the record books. Coach Ehren Earleywine guided the team to its 10th consecutive regional and eighth super regional. Missouri finished the season with a .327 team batting average, the highest single-season team average in program history.

The Tigers ranked first in the nation for stolen bases. The team’s 165 total stolen bases were also a program record.

Missouri graduated three seniors, Gadbois, Crane and Fagan, who will all be going on the National Pro Fastpitch League next year. The team ended its campaign with a 42–16 record.

_Edited by Peter Baugh | pbaugh@themaneater.com_