The Missouri softball team (33–12, 8–9) had a little deja vu Sunday evening, returning to University Field and defeating No. 17 Texas A&M in walk-off fashion 2–1, much like Saturday night’s 7–6 win.
Unlike Saturday night, though, Sunday night’s game featured tough defense from both teams. Sporting camouflage, the Tigers held off Aggie offense in the beginning of the game. Freshman Danielle Baumgartner started at pitcher for Mizzou.
Missouri was first on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning, when senior shortstop Sami Fagan hit an RBI line drive to bring in freshman pinch runner Raime Cohen.
Led by Baumgartner, Mizzou’s defense was unstoppable throughout the game. The freshman pitcher had a season-high seven strikeouts.
“It was her changeup,” coach Ehren Earleywine said. “I just think every time they got into a count where they would square one up and pull the string, she threw a changeup and that was the difference. The thought was let’s just throw it as much as we can and if she only lasts three or four innings so what?”
Baumgartner lasted way more than three or four innings on Sunday. It wasn’t until the top of the seventh, with two runners on, two outs and the score tied 1–1, that Earleywine looked to the bullpen. He called on sophomore pitcher Paige Lowary to end the inning. Lowary got a ground ball out to escape the jam.
With one out in the seventh, senior left-fielder Emily Crane launched a rocket that almost flew the left field fence and ended up on second base to start off a rally for the Tigers.
With a roaring crowd, Mizzou players sporting rally caps and the bases loaded, Chloe Rathburn stepped up to the plate. The junior designated hitter hit a quick grounder to the shortstop, who quickly threw it home.
Mizzou’s speed came into play. Crane raced home, sliding in safely. She quickly jumped up in victory and rushed to the dugout to celebrate the second win of the series with her teammates.
“There’s nothing better than winning off a walk-off, no matter what kind of hit it is,” Crane said. “A dribble up the middle, a big hit or a home run, it just feels so much better to win that way because of the excitement and especially going into tomorrow it’s really good for us.”
Fagan agrees, saying walk-off wins help the team come together and be united even more, especially going into the next game.
Game three of the Southeastern Conference series will be played Monday evening. The Tigers will look for the sweep and a chance to move up in the SEC rankings.
“That would be really big for us, especially going into the end of the season,” Crane said. “Just to get our heads on straight and especially off of two walk-off wins, there’s no better way to end it than a sweep. But we’re going to take what they give us and try to capitalize on it.”
_Edited by Theo DeRosa | tderosa@themaneater.com_
