Mizzou Softball lost fell 6-5 to No. 18 LSU Wednesday evening in their 2017 SEC Tournament opener. Mizzou was down 6-2 heading into the 7th before coming up just short with their rally.

Two of LSU’s five hits were home runs-a two-run blast in the second inning and fourth inning grand slam proved to be the deciding factor.

Mizzou awaits its fate for potential 2017 NCAA Tournament play with Sunday’s (May 14) Selection Show at 9 p.m. CT on ESPN2. The Tigers will be seeking their 11th consecutive birth to NCAA Regional postseason play.

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Alyssa Tarquinio and Allie Macfarlane drove in two runs apiece to back the three-hit pitching of Maddie Baalman, and Saint Louis topped Dayton 5-3 in an Atlantic 10 Conference Softball Championship first-round game Wednesday afternoon. The fifth-seeded Billikens (25-23) will take on top-seeded Fordham in a winner’s bracket game Thursday at 9 a.m. (CT).

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Southeast Missouri freshman Rachel Anderson was named the 2017 OVC Freshman of the Year.  Anderson finished her outstanding rookie campaign at second in the OVC in batting average with a .412 clip. She led the league in triples (8) and was also among the top five individuals in slugging percentage (2nd, .719), on-base percentage (.483), hits (t3rd, 63) and total bases (110). Anderson rated third in the nation in triples and seventh in triples per game (0.16), as well.