Harrison's Gem Helps Mizzou Softball Avoid Sweep Against LSU

On Saturday, the third time proved to be the charm for Missouri softball.

After getting outscored 25-5 in the first two games of the series, Missouri softball won a clunker of a series finale over No. 20/22 LSU by a score of 1-0.

The main drivers of MU's win were major problem areas in the first two games of the series.

Missouri starting pitcher Cierra Harrison was phenomenal, tossing her first seven-inning shutout against an SEC opponent since March 2024. She also gave up just three hits and a pair of walks on Saturday. LSU only had one batter reach second base the entire day.

"She competed on every single pitch," MU head coach Larissa Anderson said. "She was really locked in from the beginning. She had better stuff (than Thursday)."

Harrison also flashed the leather, making consecutive catches on line drives that zipped right at her in the top of the sixth.

"I was not expecting the second one to come at me again," Harrison said. "I was really surprised. (I) just do what I can to get three outs."

She was far from the only one making elite plays in the field.

Missouri, which entered Saturday as a top-25 team in double plays, turned a pair in the series finale. The first came in the top of the fifth when a bunt from Maddox McKee was caught by MY third baseman Addy Waits, who doubled off Maci Bergeron at first base.

The second came in the top of the seventh. After Alix Franklin led off the inning with a single, Tori Edwards hit a soft line drive to MU shortstop Madison Uptegrove, who made the easy catch and doubled off Franklin, who'd taken too large a lead. Uptegrove received an assist from first baseman Abby Hay, who made a sweet stretch and pick to complete the double play.

One day after Missouri's defense struggled in a blowout defeat, it reversed course into a shining facet.

"We're really good fundamentally," Anderson said. "Sometimes, we play a little bit too safe, so we want them to take some more risks and play more aggressively."

Interestingly enough, MU's lone run of the afternoon came with the help of consecutive defensive gaffes from LSU shortstop Kylee Edwards, who was arguably the best player on either team over the first two games of the series.

With two outs in the bottom of the third, right fielder Sidney Forrester hit a ground ball to Edwards, but she couldn't handle it, and Forrester reached base safely. Moments later, Hay hit a ground ball to Edwards. This time, the ball skipped off her glove and into shallow center field, allowing Addy Waits to score from second base.

While Missouri tallied only four hits and four walks, Anderson saw an improvement in her team's approach at the plate after criticizing them for focusing too much on not striking out.

"We swung at better pitches," Anderson said. "We did not chase the ball out of the zone the way we had the first two days."

She mentioned a pair of fly ball outs by Forrester and Stefania Abruscato as proof of said progress: the wind helped prevent them from going over the fence, but the fact that both balls were hit hard was all Anderson seemed to care about.

"I felt it was better pitch selection, better timing," Anderson said later on. "When you start to draw some walks, which we were able to do today, then I know that they're seeing the strike zone a little bit better."

Now back above .500 at 21-20 overall, Missouri will travel to Georgia for its next series. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. on Friday.

The Bulldogs are 28-9 and are on track for their 24th straight NCAA Tournament appearance.

"It just gives us a little bit of confidence going into that series," Harrison said of the win, "knowing that we just took one from LSU."

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