Mizzou softball gets revenge, plates 5 in the seventh to stay alive in NCAA Regional
History tends to repeat itself, but that wasn’t the case in Missouri softball’s Sunday rematch against the Omaha Mavericks.
After falling in an extra-inning upset to the Mavericks on Friday night, the Tigers had to fight their way back through the elimination bracket to meet the familiar foe in the regional final in Columbia.
The Tigers were persistent in both games on Saturday, and that was still evident in Sunday’s win; the Tigers entered the top of the seventh down one before senior Alex Honnold sent a go-ahead two-run shot to help force a winner-take-all elimination game.
There were still some similarities to the previous meeting, specifically with the quiet offense from both sides.
Omaha starting pitcher Kamryn Meyer found herself in her third start of the weekend, even after throwing 158 and 120 pitches in the first two games to lead the Mavericks to their first regional final in program history. Meyer came out again with another 130 pitches for the Mavericks, going 6 2/3 innings with five earned runs, four walks and a strikeout.
But Mizzou’s Laurin Krings had an answer with her own pitching performance that mirrored Saturday’s efforts to keep the Tigers’ season alive. Krings pitched 11 innings, allowing two runs across both games on Saturday, and turned around for five innings without allowing a hit before Liberty native and Omaha sophomore Marra Cramer led off the sixth with a double.
Cramer ultimately came around to score off a throwing error by right fielder Kayley Lenger that went into the dugout.
The Tigers proved they wouldn’t go down quietly, however, and stayed alive in the top of the seventh after Meyer gave up a leadoff walk. A single from Olathe West alum Madison Walker put runners on the corners. Jenna Laird, batting .354 and .383 with RISP this season, drove home the tying run with a groundout before Honnold stepped up to the plate.
Sydney Nuismer entered in relief for Meyer, and a single from Julia Crenshaw brought home two more runs for the Tigers.
Taylor Pannell, entering in relief for Krings after the Cramer double, survived a leadoff double from senior Alex Olson in the seventh to secure the win.
Mizzou will now turn around for a chance to host a Super Regional with one more game against Omaha later Sunday.
