Missouri Softball Eliminates Indiana to Keep Season Alive

The Tigers will play Washington shortly.

Missouri Athletics

The formula that Omaha used to defeat MIssouri on Friday was the same one the Tigers used to eliminate Indiana on Saturday. MU came out of the gates hot offensively and rode strong pitching the rest of the way en route to a victory.

Jenna Laird, who's been Missouri's tone-setter at the top of the lineup for years, did just that to open the game. On the third pitch of the afternoon, she roped a double into left center field, which was followed by a walk from Alex Honnold.

Then, what took Missouri almost most of Friday's game to do happened on the next batter. Maddie Gallagher's ground ball was botched by Indiana pitcher Brianna Copeland, allowing Laird to score from third. Honnold scored on the next at-bat by Abby Hay, who grounded out to second base. However, Gallagher got caught sleeping rounding third, and she was thrown out to end the inning.

However, despite the Tigers struggling offensively throughout the middle innings, Laurin Krings dominated when her team needed to keep its season alive. She was rolling with her changeup all evening, as Indiana rarely made solid contact for most of the game.

What also helped Krings maintain rhythm was that she was incredibly efficient. She didn't face more than three batters in an inning until the bottom of the fifth, when she faced...four batters. An Indiana offense that was one of the best in the Big Ten this past season went silent, as Krings allowed just two hits (both of which were singles) and no walks heading into the seventh inning

Missouri gave Krings some insurance in the last two innings with three runs. The first was courtesy of a bases-loaded walk from Kayley Lenger, the second was an RBI groundout by Gallagher, and the third was an RBI single by Abby Hay.

Krings did hit a rough patch in the seventh, as she gave up an opposite field home run to Sarah Stone and a base hit right after. However, Taylor Pannell rode her signature off-speed to the finish line, as she picked up the final two outs to keep Missouri alive.

The top of the lineup carried the day for MU's offense, as Laird, Honnold and Hay combined for six of their team's eight hits.

With the win, Missouri moves on to play Washington, a game which will begin shortly. Indiana has been eliminated. The winner of Missouri-Washington will play Omaha tomorrow and will have to beat the Mavericks twice to make Super Regionals. The loser will be eliminated.