Mizzou Softball Opens Season with Two Losses to B10 Opponents

Missouri lost to Penn State and Oregon in Florida.

May 9, 2024; Auburn, AL, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Larissa Anderson talks to outfielder Alex Honnold (25) during the game against the Florida Gators in the SEC Softball Championship at Jane B. Moore Field. Mandatory Credit: John Reed-Imagn Images | John Reed-Imagn Images

Missouri softball opened its season Friday by losing to Penn State and Oregon in the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Florida.

The Tigers took Penn State to extra innings before falling 7-4 in the 10th. Missouri then lost 3-0 to No. 5 Oregon.

Missouri had opportunities to win against Penn State, but couldn't take advantadge of them. The Tigers finished the game with just five hits.

Against Penn State, the game entered extra innings tied at three runs each. After Penn State scored a run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the eighth inning, the pressure was put on Missouri's lineup.

Kayley Lenger, second in the batting lineup, kept the Tigers alive after a single to centerfield brought Madison Uptegrove home from second base.

After a scoreless ninth inning, Penn State took the victory in the 10th by scoring three runs, one via a double and two more from a home run.

Cierra Harrison pitched the first five innings for the Tigers before being replaced by Courtney Donahue in the final five. In the first two at bats of the game, Harrison reached a career milestone by notching her 250th career strikeout.

The senior also had an impressive fourth inning to keep the game tied at two runs each. Penn State hit a triple on the first at bat, but Harrison then struck out the next three batters.

Against Oregon, Missouri recorded zero hits.

The Tigers and Ducks entered the sixth inning scoreless. But Oregon broke that in the top of the sixth inning with a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead. Oregon then brought in two more runs with a double in the seventh.

Needing a comeback in the seventh, Missouri struck out on the first and third at bats and grounded out on the second.

Junior Marissa McCann pitched all seven innings for Missouri, allowing eight it and recording five strike outs on the day.

Throughout the two games, the Tigers had three freshmen in the starting lineups, having third baseman Addy Waits and right fielder Sidney Forrester start against Penn State and Abby Carr against Oregon as a DP.

The Tigers will continue play at the Leadoff Classic through the weekend. On Saturday, the Tigers will take on No. 21/23 Liberty at noon on the MLB Network. Then, Missouri will take on BYU at 5 p.m.