The crowd roared as a sharply hit ground ball scurried past the mound and into the glove of Missouri shortstop Jazmyn Rollin. She got up and fired a strike to first, redeeming herself for her error on the previous play that opened the door for a Bulldog comeback. With her putout, Missouri softball (11-11, 0-1) was able to seal its first conference win of the season, by defeating the No. 8 Georgia Bulldogs (25-4, 1-0) by the score of 7-3.
Sophomore Cassie Gasper took the mound for the Tigers. After recording a scoreless top of the first, her offense wasted no time getting started. Shortstop Brooke Wilmes laced the first pitch she saw off the base of the centerfield wall for a leadoff double. She then advanced to third on a bunt single by left fielder Regan Nash and scored on a sacrifice fly by Rollin. After one, the Tigers led 1-0.
After retiring the first batter of the second, Gasper gave up a double, followed by a two-run shot, allowing the Bulldogs to regain the lead briefly before the Tigers fought back in the bottom half of the frame.
Third baseman Kim Wert reached second base on a dropped pop up to start the inning, and eventually scored on a double by centerfielder Callie Martin. The next batter, Wilmes, laced her second double of the day to drive in Martin and return the lead to the Tigers.
The Bulldogs clawed back to tie the game at 3 thanks to a solo home run in the third. After that, Gasper settled in, retiring six consecutive batters in the fourth and fifth. After pitching around a walk in the sixth and an error in the seventh, her day was complete. In a full seven innings, she allowed three runs on just four hits and a walk while striking out two.
In the meantime, her offense got the lead back and then some. The bottom half of the fourth started with Wert reaching once again on an error. She came in to score on a double by pinch hitter Kara Decker. Wilmes then added an insurance run with her third double of the day. After four, the Tigers opened up a 5-3 lead.
In the bottom of the fifth, Wert added a two-run shot to stretch the lead to four, and that would prove to be more than enough cushion for Gasper.
The Tigers will play the rubber match with the Bulldogs on Sunday at noon.
_Edited by Adam Cole | acole@themaneater.com_
