Mizzou Softball Starts Hot, Goes Cold in Blowout Loss to LSU

For the second straight game, Missouri softball was on the wrong end of an offensive explosion from No. 20/22 LSU, as the Bayou Bengals dominated MU 16-4 to capture a series win.

It was the most runs Missouri had allowed in a game since March 2016.

"Terrible outing all the way around," MU head coach Larissa Anderson said.

LSU, which entered Friday with the fewest home runs in the SEC, hit four in Game No. 2, its most in a single game this season. It was also the first time that Missouri had allowed four home runs in a game this season.

The home Tigers started hot, scoring three runs in the bottom of the first off LSU starting pitcher Cece Cellura. Moments after first baseman Abby Hay singled home Addy Waits from second, designated player Abby Carr hit her team-high 11th home run of the season to put Missouri in front 3-0.

But LSU quickly turned the tables, scoring seven unanswered runs between the second and fifth innings. The scoring run started with a solo home run in the top of the second from Tori Edwards, and in the top of the third, Kylee Edwards hit a two-run shot.

Later in the inning, Avery Hodge hit an RBI single to give LSU a lead that it would never relinquish.

LSU poured it on late, too, scoring nine runs over the final two innings. Sierra Daniel and Kylee Edwards had four hits apiece, and Edwards hit for the first cycle in LSU softball history.

"She's been on fire," Anderson said. "The last two weeks, she's been the spark ... She's got a real good eye. She's very disciplined."

Missouri, on the other hand, went ice-cold at the plate, tallying just two hits and one run after the first inning.

"Yesterday, we struck out a lot, and then the team doesn't want to strike out because the public thinks strikeouts are bad, so then they slow their bat speed down to put the ball in play," Anderson said. "You're not going to have maximum bat speed. You're not going to have good exit velo(city) just trying to put the ball in play."

"It wasn't a matter that we didn't strike out. It's that we didn't hit balls hard because we slowed everything down just to put it in play."

Times were far worse in the circle. Friday was just the second time that MU starting pitcher Marissa McCann had given up three home runs in a single game. The other instance came in March 2024 against Tennessee when McCann was a true freshman. She also gave up four walks.

In relief, Abby Carr, Nathalie Touchet and Rylee Michalak combined to allow eight hits, six earned runs and seven walks. MU's 11 walks allowed were the team's most since Feb. 2018.

"You're not going to win any ballgame having 11 walks," Anderson said. "We've got to control the strike zone better. We've got to be more competitive."

Missouri also struggled in the field, which is uncharacteristic considering that it entered Friday with the second-highest fielding percentage in the SEC.

A ground ball skipped past shortstop Madison Uptegrove in the top of the seventh, and a couple of other gaffes occurred that didn't register as errors. One was in the top of the second, when left fielder Claire Cahalan called off Uptegrove on a flyball into shallow left field. Cahalan, however, couldn't come up with the catch despite a diving effort.

"Uptegrove did what she was supposed to do," Anderson said. "It wasn't Claire's ball. Uptegrove was camped out underneath it."

In the top of the seventh, second baseman Sophie Smith seemed to have an easy double play, but she didn't tag the runner advancing to second before recording an out at first base.

Missouri, now 20-20 overall, will look to avoid a sweep on Saturday. First pitch is set for 2:30 p.m.

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