On day two of the Charleston Southern Tournament, Missouri softball (3-1) picked up wins against No. 14 James Madison (3-1) and Charleston Southern (2-4).
The Tigers avenged their 6-0 season-opening loss to James Madison, blasting the Dukes 8-4. Senior Kirsten Mack led Mizzou, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs. In the second game of the day, right-handed pitchers Madi Norman and senior Cheyenne Baxter shut out Charleston Southern. The Tigers won 3-0 and held the Buccaneers to only five hits.
Against JMU on Friday, Missouri was held to only two hits; the Tigers offense wouldn’t be denied Saturday. Mack got things started with a two-run home run in the first to put the Tigers up 2-0.
After Missouri and JMU each scored one run in the second, Missouri’s bats continued. Mack opened the third inning with a single right up the middle, which was followed by a two-run blast from Rylee Pierce to put Mizzou up 5-1.
In the fourth, Jolie Duffner scored on a throwing error. Mack got her third RBI on the day with a sacrifice fly allowing Natalie Fleming to score. The scoring outburst was capped off in the fifth inning when freshman Braxton Burnside scored on a passed ball.
Freshman pitcher Parker Conrad picked up her first collegiate win. She went four innings with two strikeouts and no earned runs.
In the second game, Missouri would defeat Charleston Southern for the second time in two days. In her first start of the season, Baxter looked like an ace. She went five-and-one-third innings deep with four strikeouts. Her performance was followed by Norman, who finished the game without allowing a run.
Offensively the Tigers were led by Anna Reed and Cayla Kessinger. In the top of the second inning, Kessinger grounded out to second and sent Reed home for Mizzou’s first score.
Mizzou’s second offensive outburst came in the sixth. After Pierce was intentionally walked, Reed’s sacrifice fly to center sent Burnside home. That was followed by a double steal; Pierce stole second base and Mack stole home to secure a 3-0 win.
Next up, Mizzou takes on South Dakota in the ASU Littlewood Classic on Feb. 17.
_Edited by Eli Lederman | elederman@themaneater.com_
