Mizzou Softball (21-21, 4-11 SEC) dropped the series finale to No. 5 Georgia in a 7-2 defeat on Sunday. With the score tied at two apiece in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Bulldogs’ bats came alive with five runs on five hits to put the game out of reach. Both Friday’s series opener and today’s series finale saw the Tigers with the lead or the game tied before the Bulldogs put up a crooked number on the scoreboard to clinch the win.
“Today was frustrating, as we competed almost all game yet again against a great opponent in Georgia,” said head coach Gina Fogue. “Offensively, we had numerous chances to build a multi-run lead but couldn’t come up with the big hit. You have to capitalize on those scoring opportunities against talented teams like the Bulldogs. Our pitchers battled hard all day, but looked a little tired towards the end of their respective outings. I’m still pleased with our effort this weekend, as we played a top 5 team really well each time out.”
It was a disappointing finish after the Tigers evened the series with a 5-1 victory on Saturday. The Tigers saw production up and down the lineup, highlighted by three multi-hit performances and four players with an RBI. Pitcher Lauren Rice limited the Bulldogs to only one run in a complete game effort. It marked Rice’s team-leading third victory in Southeastern Conference play.
“We came into tonight’s game with a lot of confidence, even after last night’s disappointing loss. Our offense saw the ball well last night and we carried that into tonight’s at-bats,” said Fogue. “If it wasn’t for some outstanding Georgia defense, we could’ve easily had 15-plus hits tonight against some really good pitching.”
