All-Around Dominance Propels Mizzou to Undefeated Weekend at Bye-Week Classic

In a season filled with more downs than ups so far, Missouri softball is suddenly on a roll.

In the Mizzou Bye-Week Series, the Tigers won all four games they played, improving their record to 12-16. It's the team's first five-game winning streak since they won six in a row in March 2025.

"We've been winning small battles, and we've been talking a lot about winning little battles," MU head coach Larissa Anderson said. "Now, it's time to win the war, and when you don't have success and you don't win the game, it's kind of hard to buy into that whole process because you just get frustrated."

"They stayed true, and they continued to grind and found ways to be able to win."

On Friday, Missouri beat Minnesota 8-1, then defeated South Dakota 9-4. Against the Golden Gophers, Catcher Stefania Abruscato went 3-of-4 with three doubles and a career-high five RBIs. A two-RBI double in the bottom of the third opened the scoring for MU and was part of a four-run inning. Abruscato also had a sweet defensive gem, picking off Minnesota's Brooklyn Jones at first to end the top of the fourth inning.

Starting pitcher Marissa McCann was also dominant in her own right, pitching a complete game while allowing just four hits and one earned run to go along with six strikeouts.

Against South Dakota, Abruscato's bat remained hot, as she went 2-of-3 with two singles. But the game's MVP was Abby Carr, who hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the third and struck out three batters in relief of Cierra Harrison.

Elsewhere, right fielder Sidney Forrester hit a solo home run, while second baseman Sophie Smith had three RBIs. After South Dakota took a 2-1 lead in the top of the second on a two-run home run from Autumn Iverson, Missouri outscored USD 8-2 the rest of the way. Carr and Donahue combined for six strikeouts and no earned runs in three and one-third innings of relief.

This game was originally scheduled for Sunday, but was moved to Friday night due to potential inclement weather in Columbia on Sunday.

Missouri had its most dominant performance of the weekend on Saturday against South Dakota, as the Tigers scored three runs in each of the first three innings en route to a 9-0 win in five innings. Abruscato hit a two-run home run to center field in her first at-bat, then logged an RBi single in her next at-bat. Forrester and Carr each had home runs as well.

McCann pitched another gem, allowing just one hit and two walks while tallying eight strikeouts.

"Everything was spinning," Abruscato said. "She just looked insane, and she kept her composure the whole time."

The Tigers faced their toughest test in their final game of the series against Iowa State, which entered Sunday evening with wins over Minnesota and South Dakota. Missouri plated four runs in the bottom of the first courtesy of a base-clearing double from Carr and an RBI double from Madison Uptegrove.

But Iowa State responded with four runs of its own across the second and third innings, including home runs from center fielder Tatum Johnson and shortstop Reagan Bartholomew off Harrison.

Carr then saved the day, both at the plate and in the circle. In four and two-thirds innings, Carr gave up just three hits and one earned run to go along with five strikeouts.

In the bottom of the fifth, one inning after third baseman Addy Waits gave Missouri its lead back with an RBI double, Carr hit an RBI single to center field. In the top of the sixth, with two Cyclones in scoring position and two outs, Carr struck out ISU designated player Kasey Kane to keep MU's two-run lead intact.

"The most impressive thing is that she doesn't get rattled," Anderson said. "She's so calm in the box. She's so calm on the mound. There's so many pressure situations she's been in as a pitcher, and her demeanor is exactly the same."

For the weekend, Abruscato had eight hits and eight RBIs. The scorching aluminum was a product of Abruscato adjusting her approach at the plate, according to Anderson.

"Early on in the season, she was very pull-conscious, and now, she's working the field a little bit more," Anderson said. "She's creating more opportunities to hit the ball hard and stay in the zone a lot longer. She's worked very hard at it."

Missouri will hit the road for a midweek doubleheader against Illinois on Wednesday. First pitch for Game No. 1 is set for 1 p.m., and Game No. 2 is set for 3 p.m. The Illini are 8-18 and have lost six straight games.

"It's fun to see," first baseman Hay said of Missouri's weekend. "It just gives us so much confidence going into Illinois and then Alabama."

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