Mizzou Softball Drops Final Game of Mary Nutter Classic to Oregon

The Tigers fell 11-3 to the Ducks after going down 8-0 early.

May 9, 2024; Auburn, AL, USA; Missouri Tigers third baseman Kara Daly (19) gets ready to bat against the Florida Gators during the SEC Softball Championship game at Jane B. Moore Field. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | John Reed-Imagn Images

Missouri softball took on No. 19/19 Oregon in the final game of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday, falling 11-3.

With the loss, the Tigers concluded the tournament with a 2-3 record.

Missouri earned all three of its runs after senior Kara Daly cracked a home run in the bottom of the third inning. Her homer cut Oregon's lead to 8-3. Unfortunately for the Tigers, the Ducks could not be caught. Oregon hit five home runs on the day en route to a big win over Missouri.

At the start of the third inning, the game was well within reach of the Tigers, who trailed 3-0. Oregon had earned its three points off of two home runs, one from freshman Emma Cox and the other from sophomore Katie Flannery.

Holding a comfortable, yet not huge, lead, the Ducks took to offense at the top of the third inning. That was when their team really came alive, adding five more runs to pad the score at 8-0.

Another pair of Ducks hit homers, while senior Kedre Luschar notched a single RBI and Flannery notched a double RBI. Those plays put Missouri in a tough spot.

Looking for a response, the Tigers found one via Daly's home run. With the Tigers now trailing 8-3, the game slowed down, as neither team scored another run until the final inning.

In that seventh inning, Oregon hit yet another long ball to ice the game.

The Tigers struggled all around in the loss, including on the pitcher's mound. Three pitchers- junior Cierra Harrison, sophomore Marissa McCann, and junior Taylor Pannell- allowed a total of 11 runs across the game, with an ERA of 3.61.

The Tigers will look to improve when they debut in the Shocker Invite at 3 p.m. Friday in Wichita, Kansas.