Pitching Shines in Mizzou Softball's Doubleheader Sweep of Illinois

Missouri softball got a double dose of pitching gems in its doubleheader sweep of Illinois on Wednesday.

The Tigers won the first game 3-0 and the second game 9-4 over the Illini, who entered the day 8-18 and losers of six straight games. Missouri has now won seven straight games and sits at 14-16 overall.

Marissa McCann, who's been dominant as of late, started the first game and continued her hot streak in the circle. She threw a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits while tallying five strikeouts. She'd given up only one hit through the first six innings, which was a leadoff single from Illinois right fielder Delaney Mosley.

No Illini batter got past second base.

Over her past three starts, McCann has as many strikeouts as innings pitched (19). She hasn't allowed a run and has given up just eight hits.

Missouri's bats weren't exactly piping hot, as the Tigers had just five hits. But McCann's brilliance in the circle rendered their efforts to be enough. Third baseman Addy Waits opened the scoring with a two-out, two-RBI single in the top of the second, while second baseman Sophie Smith hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth.

Game No. 2 saw Cierra Harrison start for the Tigers, and she immediately ran into trouble in the bottom of the first. She gave up a leadoff double to Illinois catcher Kierys Click, and after walking a third baseman Adisyn Caryl, Harrison gave up a three-run home run to designated player Eileen Donahue. Wednesday was Harrison's third straight appearance allowing a home run.

But Harrison settled down after the blast, giving up just one hit until the bottom of the sixth, when Donahue hit a solo home run. Harrison pitched a complete game, giving up five hits and four earned runs to go along with six strikeouts.

Luckily for Harrison, Missouri's offense had her back. MU catcher Stefania Abruscato, who was white-hot during the Mizzou Bye-Week Series but went 0-of-4 in Game No. 1 against Illinois, hit a two-run home run in the top of the first. Later on, right fielder Sidney Forrester hit a pair of solo home runs, and a solo blast from first baseman Abby Hay pushed Mizzou's lead to 7-3 in the top of the sixth.

Abruscato added an RBI single in the top of the sixth, and Smith hit her second home run of the day in the top of the seventh.

The Tigers will return home for a three-game series against No. 4/6 Alabama this weekend. First pitch on Friday is set for 5 p.m.

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