Mizzou Softball Gets No-Hit in Series-Opener Against Texas

Missouri has now been shutout four times this season.

Mizzou Athletics

When the rain finally subsided in mid-Missouri, top-ranked Texas softball brought it back. On the diamond, that is.

A no-hitter from starting pitcher Teagan Kavan and a stellar offensive performance propelled the Longhorns to an 8-0 run-rule victory over Mizzou. The loss dropped the Tigers to 20-19 overall and 2-8 in Southeastern Conference play.

"We were outplayed all across the board," MU coach Larissa Anderson said. "Texas was the better team today. That was not the Mizzou team that I've seen all season long."

Saturday, however, saw a similar Missouri team take the field, as MU tallied yet another disappointing offensive showing. Missouri has now been shutout four times this season, and run-ruled three times; Texas has now won 16 games in that fashion this season.

Kavan rolled in the circle all afternoon, as Missouri's offense was colder than the air outside Saturday. The sophomore recorded 11 strikeouts, which is incredible considering that only 15 outs were recorded in the shortened contest. It also marked the fifth time she's hit double-digit strikeouts in a game this season. Four Tigers — Stefania Abruscato, Kara Daly, Taylor Ebbs and Madison Uptegrove — struck out twice. Only two Tigers reached base all afternoon, both of which came on Texas errors.

"She can throw every pitch in every plane," Anderson said of Kavan. "What it so effective with her is her rise ball and her drop ball tunnel the same ... it makes it really difficult to be able to square her up."

On offense, four Longhorns recorded at least two hits; nine-hitter Kaydee Bennett was the most productive of the bunch, going 3-for-3. Reese Atwood and Joley Mitchell also hit home runs; Atwood's solo home run in the third inning was No. 14 on the season, which puts her in the top 20 nationally.

Texas jumped on Marissa McCann early, taking a 4-0 lead in the first inning courtesy of a sacrifice fly from Atwood and a three-run home run from Mitchell. It set the tone for the rest of the afternoon, which featured the Longhorns running wild over the Tigers.

"We should have been out of that inning in the first three batters," Anderson said. "We get beat on an infield hit. On a changeup, we give up a bunt. So now we have first and second, and then there's a bloop into left field. That should be three outs right there. You can't give Texas six outs in an inning."

It was a chilly afternoon in Columbia; however, it was the team from Texas who looked warm on Saturday.

"It was just as cold for them," Anderson said. "It's really tough to throw in this temperature, but it didn't impact them at all."

Due to the aforementioned inclement weather, Missouri and Texas are scheduled to play a doubleheader on Sunday. The first game is set for noon CT, while Game 2 is slated for 3 p.m. CT.