Mizzou Softball First Baseman Exits After Jarring Collision in Game Against Louisiana

The collision happened in the first inning.

Missouri first baseman Abby Hay was helped off the field after a collision with a Louisiana infielder on Sunday. | Missouri Athletics

Update (Feb. 23): Abby Hay is being evaluated for a lower-body injury.

The Missouri Tigers haven't had an ideal start to their 2026 season, and now, a mainstay in the starting lineup could be injured.

In the first inning of Mizzou's game against the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns, Abby Hay collided with Louisiana third baseman Brooke Otto as she was running from second to third base. Hay was called out and needed assistance getting off the field.

Hay left the game shortly after driving in the game's first run with a double to right center.

Sidney Forrester moved from right field to first base, and Haidyn Sokoloski entered the contest off the bench to right field.

Mizzou Has Disastrous Weekend in Louisiana

The Tigers were hoping to turn their season around at the Cajun AC Louisiana Clash, which was hosted by McNeese State in Lake Charles.

Instead, it was a disaster.

Mizzou went 1-4 with two losses to McNeese State, another one to Houston and a run-rule loss to Louisiana to finish the weekend.

The Tigers were outscored 24-16 over the five games and their lone victory over Houston was by a score of 8-2.

• vs. Houston, 3-4
• vs. McNeese State, 3-5
• vs. Houston, 8-2
• vs. McNeese State, 1-4
• vs. Louisiana, 1-9 (6 innings)

With the loss to the Ragin' Cajuns on Sunday, the Tigers fell to 5-11 and are 2-4 against unranked mid-major opponents.

Mizzou was outhit 12-5 by Louisiana on Sunday.

Hay drove in the first run of the contest against the Ragin' Cajuns. Addy Waits tripled and scored on a two-out double by the first baseman.

After that, Louisiana starting pitcher Bethaney Noble settled in and limited the Tigers to four hits across the next five innings.

Louisiana broke through against Mizzou starter Abby Carr in the third inning when Kennedy Marceaux launched a two-run home run to center field, giving Louisiana a 2-1 lead.

Carr was tagged for the loss and allowed four earned runs on seven hits and one walk across 3.2 innings. She struck out four. Natalie Touchet and Rylee Michalak combined to finish the game, allowing five runs, two earned, on five hits and two walks.

The Ragin' Cajuns scored two more in the fourth thanks to a two-run single off the bat of Mia Liscano. She finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs scored and three runs batted in.

A five-run sixth inning put the game away for the Ragin' Cajuns, who walked off with a run-rule victory after Emily Smith singled to right field and drove in two runs.

Mizzou returns home and will welcome Wichita State, Drake, and Miami (Ohio) to town for the annual Mizzou Invitational starting at 10 a.m. on Friday and going through Sunday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. Friday will be the Tigers' home opener.

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