The Alabama softball team fell behind early to Missouri and was never able to find enough momentum to rally more than four runs in the 9-4 loss.
The Crimson Tide had eight hits and left eleven runners on base. In the seventh inning alone, the team had three hits and left two on base.
“Way too many opportunities with runners in scoring position, and against a good team like them, you’ve got to cash in,” head coach Patrick Murphy said. “I think we were 1 for 8 in the third inning, and the one [hit] was the same girl that got thrown at home so really it’s 0 for 8. We’ve got to do a better job especially with a runner at third and no outs. That should be an automatic run… so just a better sense of urgency or more of a sense of urgency at the plate, and we’ve got to do some more damage.”
Leslie Jury (11-3) earned a loss on the day after pitching six and two-thirds innings and allowing one walk and ten hits.
The closest the Crimson Tide came to scoring before the seventh was in the second inning when Danae Hays hit a single into shallow left field. Kallie Case was unable to beat the tag at home and was the final out in the bottom of the second.
Mizzou took the lead in the top of the third after a hard line drive hit the top of Hays’ glove and dribbled into the outfield. Mizzou added another run after a hard hit single made its way up the middle. Then Courtney Conley threw over the first baseman’s glove, and Missouri added two more runs to its third inning lead. Alabama was unable to rally in the bottom of the third after leaving three on base, and the Tigers led 4-0.
Missouri added another run to its lead in the top of the fourth with a hard hit single between third base and shortstop. Once again, Alabama stranded a runner on third and was unable to answer to the 5-0 Missouri lead.
The Tigers put another run on the board in the top of the sixth after an error allowed the runner to reach third base. The next batter hit a single, and the Tigers scored their sixth run of the game.
In the top of the seventh, Missouri sealed the win with a two-run home run to dead center followed by a solo home run to right field. Leslie Jury left the game with two outs. Lauren Sewell came in and walked a batter before finally retiring the last Missouri hitter. Nicole Hudson replaced Missouri pitcher Chelsea Thomas in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Alabama made a late comeback in the bottom of the seventh. With one out and one on, Kaila Hunt hit a two run shot into center left. Jadyn Spencer singled in Keima Davis. Danielle Richard pinch hit for Courtney Conley and reached first on a fielder’s choice, allowing Jordan Patterson to score. Chelsea Thomas returned to the mound to strike Andrea Hawkins out looking to end the game 9-4.
“I think it shows a lot of fight from our players to be down that far,” Hunt said. “You know a lot of teams are just going to fold their tent and be like ‘well, peace, because we’re not going to score nine runs.’ That shows a lot from our team, but in the same sense, we can’t wait till the seventh inning. We’ve got to take advantage. We had a lot of runners in scoring position. We had a lot of opportunities that we could’ve at least put some runs up on the board.”
