Mizzou softball puts its whole season on the line Saturday. After losing the first two against Tennessee in competitive showings, the Tigers were pushed to the brink of postseason elimination at one game under .500. But Mizzou continued to fight, as a 2-run rally in the bottom of the sixth helped lift them over the Lady Volunteers, 4-3.
This win greatly helps the Tigers’ NCAA Tournament odds, boosting their RPI and meaning they need just one win in the SEC Tournament to qualify at .500.
After Tennessee
broke the tie in the top of the sixth to take a 3-2 lead, it put all the pressure on Mizzou. With a runner on first and two outs, Stefania Abruscato hit a single to extend the inning. Abby Carr took full advantage with another base hit, allowing both runners to score after the right fielder bobbled the ball. Carr worked her way into second on the play. And just like that, Mizzou had its first lead of the game. The inning came to a close with a strikeout, but Mizzou made its mark.
“The bobble in right field, and then seeing that the cut(off) went a lot deeper,” head coach Larissa Anderson said regarding her decision to wave both runners home. “We’re not going to have many opportunities to be able to score, so let’s get they have to throw-catch, throw-catch-tag, and all we have to do is run.”
After entering the game in the top of the sixth, Carr slammed the door shut in the seventh. She opened the door with a strikeout before a pair of outs in the field secured the victory, bringing the Tigers to 28-28 on the season.
Carr continued her work as a two-way star, ending her day 2-of-4 at the plate with an RBI. In the circle, she pitched 1 1/3 innings with no hits/runs allowed while striking out two and earning the win.
“Being focused on my one job, which was pitching in that moment,” Carr said. “My adrenaline was going after that hit, and looking at my teammates telling me I’m good, trusting my stuff, trusting what pitch is called, like I can do this, and I think that’s what helped me get success.”
She was helped greatly by four great innings pitched by Cierra Harrison as the starter. She ended the game allowing two runs on three hits while striking out three batters. Harrison was pulled in the top of the fifth before throwing out a single pitch, receiving a standing ovation on her way back to the dugout.
“She is one of the toughest pitchers that had an opportunity to be able to coach. She just guts and wills herself to get the job done,” Anderson said.
Abby Hay contributed to the offense, leading off the bottom of the fifth by lifting a deep home run to left field to tie the game at two. This blast marked the 100th career hit for Hay across three years at Mizzou.
“I didn’t know it was the 100th. Whenever I got in the dugout, everyone started going crazy,” Hay said. “It’s cool to do it in front of my home crowd.”
The first run for Mizzou came courtesy of the bottom of the lineup. Linny Ramsey and Madison Uptegrove got on base with a single and a walk, respectively. The Volunteers changed pitchers as Kayley Lenger advanced the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Ramsey came around to score after a wild pitch.
“They need to pass the bat,” Anderson said. “It puts the pressure on the pitcher, because now they know that it’s not easy to turn that lineup over. They were much more productive and had better at-bats.”
It marked the 400th career win for Anderson, with 270 of those victories coming with the Tigers. While the past two years have been tumultuous, her recruiting pedigree and drive for her players shines through in every moment.
“I’m extremely proud to be a Tiger, to be able to do what I do every single day. I get to coach softball, I get to be on a field, I get to play a game, I get to grow and mentor young women to be strong, powerful females,” Anderson said. “The winning becomes a byproduct of all the lifetime lessons that I’m teaching here. So the win is the reward. But then when they graduate and they go on and they’re very successful in the real world, that’s really the reward.”
The No. 11-seeded Tigers will open the SEC Tournament against No. 14 Auburn at noon Tuesday in Lexington, Kentucky. With today’s win, Mizzou needs just one win in Lexington to reach postseason eligibility.
