Mizzou softball headed to SEC Tournament championship game after walk-off win over LSU (2024)

The top of the order got it done.

Stuck with two hits through seven innings of regulation, Missouri softball’s best hitters stepped up to the plate in the eighth, needing just a run to down Louisiana State and secure a berth in the Southeastern Conference title game.

They got it. Leadoff hitter Jenna Laird singled to the left side of the infield. Alex Honnold followed it up with a crisp bunt that advanced Laird and wound up a single. A wild pitch moved them to second and third.

Second baseman Maddie Gallagher, whose third-inning home run had provided Mizzou’s only scoring to that point, smacked a fly ball to right field. It was an out, but a much-needed sacrifice.

No. 5 seed Mizzou downed eighth-seeded LSU 2-1 in extra innings for a shot at the title.

Missouri (43-14) will play either Florida (43-12) or Texas A&M (40-12) at 4 p.m. Saturday in the SEC Tournament championship game.

MU’s offense was limited but efficient throughout the semifinal win. Its first hit didn’t come until the bottom of the third inning, when Gallagher homered to deep right center.

Her blast put MU ahead 1-0. It was just her third home run of the season.

The lead was short-lived. LSU stacked a pair of doubles together in the top of the fifth inning to level the score and create a bit of a jam for Missouri.

That ended starting pitcher Laurin Krings’ outing just shy of five innings pitched. Coach Larissa Anderson turned to freshman Marissa McCann, who provided a vital inning of relief in Friday morning’s quarterfinal win over Arkansas, to once again rescue the Tigers. She did so, promptly securing a flyout to end the inning.

McCann stayed in the game for the sixth, allowing two baserunners but remaining unscathed. She came out of the game with two outs in the seventh inning after walking a batter, making way for closer Taylor Pannell.

LSU looked to have landed a vital single that would have moved the potential game-winning run into scoring position, but umpires correctly ruled that the runner left first base early, leading to the inning’s third out.

Up with a chance to win via walk-off in the final frame, leadoff hitter Julia Crenshaw singled to left field for MU’s second hit of the game. But two strikeouts and a groundout followed, sending the semifinal to extra innings.

The walk-off wasn’t Missouri’s only win of Friday, either.

Earlier that day, Missouri won its quarterfinal nearly 21 hours after it was supposed to begin.

The Tigers beat Arkansas 3-1 Friday morning, finishing a game that had been suspended at its climax late Thursday night following a lengthy rain delay.

The suspension led to a unique moment: Bright and early on Friday, Mizzou and Arkansas took the field in new uniforms but with the same game situation from the night before.

MU began the day with runners on the corners and no outs in the top of the fifth inning. With plenty of time to scheme for the situation, the Tigers cooked up some nifty baserunning. Just a couple of pitches after the game resumed, center fielder Alex Honnold tried to steal second base. She let up short of the bag, though, setting up a rundown in the basepath.

As soon as that pickle formed, shortstop Jenna Laird bolted from third base to home. No throw came from the Arkansas infield, giving the Tigers their third run.

Laird had driven in the winning run earlier that inning, doubling to center before lightning suspended play after 9 p.m. Thursday. She also scored in the top of the first, singling out of the leadoff spot and rounding the basepaths on an RBI double from Maddie Gallagher.

Cierra Harrison held down the circle for Missouri, allowing ace Laurin Krings to prepare for her semifinal start. Harrison allowed four hits.

She came out of the game in the bottom of the sixth after Arkansas landed runners on first and second with no outs.

McCann replaced Harrison, facing a bases-loaded, no-outs jam. She wiggled her way out of it, securing a pop-up and two strikeouts to avoid giving up any runs.

Pannell picked up her 14th save of the season, the most in the country.

For the second straight SEC tournament game, the only run allowed by MU came via a solo home run.