Mizzou Softball’s NCAA Tournament Hopes Take Hit After Loss to SIU
After the Missouri Tigers were swept by No. 1 Texas, they dropped a midweek contest to Southern Illinois, 5-3, on Wednesday night.
The fourth consecutive loss at home dropped the Tigers to 20-22 – their worst record through 42 games since 2006. That also happened to be the last time Mizzou missed the NCAA Tournament.
It's a harsh reality for Mizzou but with every loss., its postseason hopes begin to fade further away.
Went into 𝐌𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐨𝐮 and got us a 𝐖 😎 #Salukis | #RunWithUs pic.twitter.com/WDqHAr7p8E
— Saluki Softball (@SIU_Softball) April 10, 2025
Head coach Larissa Anderson must be feeling the pressure because after the loss, media personnel in attendance were told there would not be any postgame availability. That was following the cancellation of Monday's press conference.
Anderson, who isn't afraid to make drastic changes to her lineup, did not play senior infielder Kara Daly against the Salukis. Daly is the team's second-best hitter and had started all 41 games before Wednesday.
Anderson was no longer in the dugout after the top half of the fourth after being handed an administrative ejection. Jeff Cottrill assumed acting head coach duties for the rest of the night.
The Tigers got on the board first in the bottom of the third. Kayley Lenger led off the inning with a double, and Julia Crenshaw traded places with her with a double of her own. Crenshaw came around to score on a sacrifice fly from Taylor Ebbs.
Mizzou's lead vanished quickly in the top half of the fourth. Emma Austin single, Jackie Lis doubled and Emily Wililams put the Salukis on top with a three-run homer. It was her 10th home run of the season.
Need a homer?? Yeah no, we’ve got Emily Williams for that! @Emily22Williams brings the Dawgs ahead with a 3 run bomb 💣
— Saluki Softball (@SIU_Softball) April 10, 2025
E4| #Salukis 3, Tigers 2 pic.twitter.com/AHwBTtyhXb
Austin and Lis teamed up again in the fifth to extend the lead to 4-2.
Crenshaw homered in the home half of the inning to cut the deficit to one but SIU added another run in the seventh after Mikaela Coburn doubled and scored on a dropped popup by Madison Uptegrove at shortstop.
Julia Crenshaw homers to deep left to cut the lead in half! 💣#Mizzou 3, Southern Illinois 4 | B5 | #OwnIt #MIZ 🐯🥎 pic.twitter.com/R0oN3dEZ0l
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) April 10, 2025
SIU's Kaytee Dahlstrom improved to 5-1 with the win, and Mckenzie Newcomb earned her first save of the season. The two pitchers held Mizzou to three runs on five hits and three walks.
The Tigers have an uphill battle if they don't want to be the only SEC team left out of the NCAA Tournament. They have to win at least eight of their last three games to finish above .500.
It all starts with a three-game road series against No. 18 Mississippi State starting Friday.
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-1d7db99dccc9abef7b9378f016b22b68.webp "Maren Angus-Coombs")
Maren Angus-Coombs was born in Los Angeles and raised in Nashville, Tenn. She is a graduate of Middle Tennessee State University and has been a sports writer since 2008. She has been covering college softball since 2016 for various outlets including Softball America, ESPNW and Hurrdat Sports. She is currently the managing editor of Softball On SI and also serves as an analyst for Nebraska softball games on Nebraska Public Media and B1G+.