Missouri softball entered the weekend 4-5 in SEC play, looking to crack .500. That dream would not become a reality, as the then-ranked No. 11 Tigers lost two of the three road games against No. 19 Arkansas.

Missouri dropped the series opener 5-2 after falling behind early. Arkansas got on the board in the first inning, as junior infielder Bri Ellis cracked a two-run homer over the center field wall. 

The Razorbacks extended the lead with another two runs in the third inning. With runners on second and third, senior infielder Hannah Gammill pushed a single through to double the lead. 

Arkansas scored their final run in the fourth inning. Senior utility player Rylin Hedgecock started off the inning with a solo home run to left field, extending the Razorbacks’ lead to five. 

Starting sophomore pitcher Cierra Harrison was pulled after the home run. Harrison finished the game with five earned runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings pitched. 

Sophomore Lilly Whitten and freshman Nathalie Touchet pitched the final 2.1 innings, allowing no runs and one hit. 

Missouri struggled to find offensive momentum early, with no runs and only two hits through the first six innings. The offense awoke in the seventh with a first-pitch single from sophomore infielder Katie Chester. The Tigers got on the board with a two-run homer from freshman infielder Abby Hay. This marked the first career home run for the Columbia native. Hay had two hits on the day, with a single in addition to the home run.

But the comeback attempt fell short for Missouri. With two batters on base and two outs, senior outfielder Alex Honnold flied out to left field to end the game. 

The Tigers controlled game two, winning 12-3 in bounceback fashion. The Tigers held an 8-0 lead in the middle of the fourth inning. This included a stretch of five runs in the fourth alone. Senior infielder Maddie Gallagher hit a double to score two runners on base. 

Senior pitcher Laurin Krings pitched the first three innings scoreless, allowing no hits and only two walks. A no-hitter was lost for Krings when Arkansas scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Freshman pitcher Marissa McCann was brought in to secure the last two outs of the inning, earning them consecutively. 

The Tigers bounced back with another four runs in the top of the fifth. With the bases loaded, junior infielder Kara Daly scored three of those runs on a single to left field plus an error committed by the left fielder. 

With three straight outs by McCann, the Tigers secured the run-rule victory by nine. 

But Missouri couldn’t complete the series win, losing 4-1 in the series finale. 

The two teams started scoreless through the first four innings. McCann was back on the mound, allowing only two hits through her first 12 outs. 

The Tigers found the scoreboard first with one run in the top of the fifth. Sophomore Kayley Lenger started the inning with a single on a full count pitch. After advancing to second on a fielder’s choice, Lenger was brought home by Honnold’s single to center field.

The Razorbacks were on fire, hitting back-to-back solo home runs in the bottom of the fifth, chasing McCann from the game. Both Krings and Touchet came in relief, but both pitchers gave up one run each in the sixth inning. 

Senior Arkansas pitcher Morgan Leinstock shut down Missouri, allowing only one run in 6.2 innings pitched.

The Tigers rank No. 9 in the SEC standings with a record of 5-7 in conference play and 30-10 overall.

Missouri’s next game will be on the road against Drake on Wednesday, April 10. After the quick pit stop in Iowa, the Tigers will return home for a series against No. 9 Florida from April 12-14. 

Edited by Grace Ainger | gainger@themaneater.com 

Copy Edited by Briana Iordan | biordan@themaneater.comEdited by Genevieve Smith | gsmith@themaneater.com