Missouri entered the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic 10-0 and ranked No.11/13 in two of the top polls after a pair of strong weekends. The stiff competition and poor hitting caught up with the Tigers, finishing the trip 3-2.

San Diego State (3) No. 13 Missouri (2)

Missouri opened the weekend on Thursday with a matchup with San Diego State. SDSU struck first with a three-run home run from junior Mac Barbara in the bottom of the third inning. 

Missouri started to crawl back, loading the bases with no outs to start the fifth. Senior outfielder Alex Honnold’s hit a sacrifice fly to left, and a poor throw home allowed pinch runner Claire Cahalan to score on the sacrifice fly. The Tigers couldn’t capitalize on any more hits, stranding three.

Missouri started off the sixth inning with a bang, as sophomore Katie Lenger hit her first career home run to bring the Tigers within one. Despite singles in both the sixth and seventh inning, the Tigers were unable to grab a tying run. Missouri left nine runners stranded, compared to only two for SDSU in seven innings.

No. 13 Missouri (3), Wisconsin (2)

Next up was Wisconinsin in the second half of the Thursday double-header. Missouri started quick offensively, as Honnold hit a double in the top of the first. The senior outfielder scored with the help of a sacrifice bunt from junior catcher Julia Crenshaw and a wild pitch.

Things remained stagnant at 1-0 until the fifth, thanks to strong pitching from sophomore pitcher Cierra Harrison to extend her no earned runs streak to 26. Wisconsin finally broke through, as sophomore infielder Ava Kuszak crushed a home run with two outs to tie things up.

Harrison was replaced by sophomore Taylor Pannell in the sixth after starting the inning with a leadoff single. Despite loading the bases, Pannell escaped the sixth with a strikeout and the game tied at 1. 

Missouri broke the tie in the top of the seventh with two runs, as senior infielder Maddie Gallagher nabbed the solo RBI of the inning to bring Laird in to score.

Pannell retired the first batter in the bottom of the seventh, starting off strong for Missouri. Wisconsin battled back, with a hit and a walk to put runners on first and second. Brooke Kuffel grounded back to Pannell, who got the out at third. 

With two outs, the Badgers put together back-to-back singles, loading the bases and scoring one. Pannell shut down the rally and secured the Missouri win by striking out Ellie Hubbard.

No.13 Missouri (5), UCF (1)

The Tigers had another double-header on Friday, starting with UCF. Missouri scored off the jump with two runs in the first inning. Daly scored both Laird and Honnold with an RBI single. The offensive firepower continued in the second, this time Honnold scored Laird with a double to put the Tigers up three.

Krings was back on the mound, putting in three scoreless innings to open the game. However, perfection can’t stay perfect forever, as UCF’s Chloe Evans hit a solo home run in the fourth and cut the Missouri lead down to two.

The Tigers added some insurance runs in the fifth, as junior outfielder Mya Dodge snagged her first RBI of the year with a two-out single. Crenshaw scored Honnold yet again with a single during the sixth inning to hold the 5-1 win.

Krings held things down on the mound, pitching a complete seven innings while allowing only a single run. 

No. 13 Missouri (3), California State-Fullerton (0)

Missouri concluded Friday with a matchup against CSU-Fullerton. This late-night duel started slow, as both teams couldn’t buy a run through five innings. The teams combined for only four hits.

Missouri finally broke through in the sixth, as sophomore infielder Katie Chester came into pinch hit with two runners on base. Chester made the most of the moment, crushing a three-run homer to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead after six innings. 

Freshman pitcher Marissa McCann held her own on the mound after allowing three runs in her first start against South Alabama. McCann pitched the first six innings while allowing no runs and only two hits, in addition to five strikeouts. 

Pannell came in to close things out once again, giving up one hit but no runs to complete the shutout. 

No.22 Baylor (5), No.13 Missouri (4)

Missouri’s final matchup came in a ranked dual on Saturday against No.22 Baylor. 

The Tigers started ahead, as Gallagher ripped a double into left field in the first inning to score Laird. Missouri piled onto the lead in the second, with Honnold and Crenshaw bringing in a run off a single. The lead reached four in the top of the fourth as Crenshaw brought Lenger home with another RBI single.

Harrison was on the bump again for Missouri, leaving Baylor scoreless for the first three innings. The Bears’ talent chased Harrison off the mound though with four base-runners and two runs, cutting the Tiger lead in half. Harrison was replaced by Krings, making her third appearance of the weekend. 

Krings played cleanup, getting out of the jam in the fourth and keeping Baylor off the board in the fifth. This luck ran out in the sixth, as the Bears scored two more runs to tie the ball game. 

Missouri was unable to get anything going offensively after the fourth, as only nine batters made it to the plate in the final three innings, resulting in no runs.

After a lineout, Baylor chased Krings off with a one-out walk. This brought Pannell out of the pen, looking to rally the Tigers. Pannell started strong with a strikeout for the second out. However it wasn’t meant to be for Missouri, as two-straight singles allowed Baylor to walk it off in Cathedral City. 

Missouri plays closer to home next weekend, traveling to Nebraska for the Big Red Invitational on Mar. 2-3.

Edited by Grace Ainger | gainger@themaneater.com

Copy edited by Grace Knight

Edited by Scout Hudson | shudson@themaneater.com