This weekend, No. 3 LSU came to Columbia.
The Missouri Tigers (35-11, 13-8 Southeastern Conference) entered the series with an eight-game win streak, but the Tigers from down south put an end to that streak in the final game of the weekend.
Despite the end of the streak, the Tigers had jumped from No. 15 to No. 11 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll and No. 11 to No. 8 in RPI.
The successful weekend ended with a disappointing game for the Tigers, as they were run-ruled by a score of 9-0 after five innings Monday. However, the team was not down after the loss.
“It’s difficult coming off a big win like we did when we run-ruled them,” junior outfielder Emily Crane said.
Crane said she was proud of her team and happy with the result of being able to take two games from the series.
On May 1, the Florida Gators will come to Columbia to take on Mizzou. This series will most likely decide if the Tigers will be able to host a super regional series if they make it that far in the postseason. The No. 1 Gators have won their last 15 games. The Tigers will be underdogs in their last home series.
Missouri coach Ehren Earleywine said he was optimistic about Florida being at the end of the schedule.
“Iron sharpens iron,” he said. “It’s good. When you see teams that have good pitching, it helps you get prepared. They’ve got a good ball team, but so do we.”
The Tigers are out of the running for the SEC regular season title. They would have had to sweet LSU and Florida to win the conference. While unable to take that honor, they will be looking to make enough of an impact in the Florida series to move up to at least No. 8 in the country.
The team is on the edge of being a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and they are aware of it.
“I think two wins against Florida gets us there next weekend,” Earleywine said. “I don’t have a vote, but two wins would put us there. One win won’t be enough.”
The team enters the series knowing that they have the potential to take at least one game, if not the series, from the Gators.
“In winning (Sunday’s) game by a run-rule, it showed us how good we really are,” Crane said. “It showed that we have the ability to beat anyone.”
