Missouri Softball Stunned by Omaha in Extra Innings

Kamryn Meyer was dominant, and a go-ahead home run by Ava Rongisch proved to be the winner in extras.

Missouri Athletics

On Apr. 3, Southeast Missouri State pitcher Paytience Holman dominated Missouri. The only support she needed from her offense was a single run, as the Redhawks stunned the Tigers 1-0 in Columbia.

In the first game of the Columbia Regional, a similar outcome befell upon No. 7 Missouri. A mid-major with a superstar pitcher walked into Mizzou Softball Stadium and dominated en route to an upset win. This time around, however, was of far greater proportions, as Omaha's 3-1 stunner over MU put the hosts on the brink of early elimination.

It wasn't a completely anemic offensive evening for the Tigers, but it did take them a couple of innings to warm up, and their struggles were exacerbated by the Mavericks throwing a humungous first punch.

Omaha's Sydney Thomason led her team in home runs with seven, but she hadn't hit one since Mar. 16. However, on the two month and one day anniversary of her last longball, her powers seemed to rekindle, as she took a pitch from Cierra Harrison well over the wall in left center field. The solo home run stunned the home crowd and put Omaha up 1-0.

The Tigers were able to finally generate some momentum in the bottom of the third, as Kayley Lenger and Jenna Laird made it to first and second, respectively, with no outs. Unfortunately, that's where the first of two baserunning follies occurred.

On an attempted double steal, Lenger was thrown out at third by Sydney Ross. Moments later, Alex Honnold ripped a base hit into center field, and Larissa Anderson sent Laird home from second. However, center fielder Marra Cramer unleashed a frozen rope, and Laird was out by a New York mile.

Another opportunity arose in the next inning, as Missouri had runners on the corners with one out. However, Kara Daly and Katie Chester both went down swinging to end the inning.

The next few innings saw both offenses go quiet. As the run column remained unchanged, nervousness percolated throughout the home crowd, as an upset seemed more likely with every out recorded by Meyer.

But the Tigers were able to keep themselves alive. Abby Hay led off the top of the sixth with a single, then advanced to third on a deflected ground ball off the bat of Stefania Abruscato. The next batter, Daly, flew out to left field, but she hit the ball deep enough to score Hay from third.

All then continued quiet on the Midwestern front, as Meyer and relief pitcher Marissa McCann were rolling. Then, the ice was re-broken by another crowd-silencing feat of offense from the Mavericks.

Ava Rongisch isn't Omaha's best hitter; she was in the six-spot behind UNO's litany of consistent bats at the top of the lineup. But by the end of Friday, she'd earn the title of hero, as she sent a pitch right over the plate over the wall in center field to give Omaha a 3-1 lead. Missouri was retired in order to end the game, sealing the massive upset victory for the Summit League champions.

Meyer looked very much like herself amidst a marathon, something she's reveled in plenty of times. She threw 158 pitches, allowing just four hits while striking out six.

The loss spoiled what was a quality combined pitching outing from Harrison, McCann and Taylor Pannell. Over nine innings, the three allowed just five hits while striking out 10. Unfortunately, with Meyer dealing as well as she was, the mistakes by Harrison and McCann proved extra costly.

Friday marked the first time Missouri lost its opening Regionals game as host since 2005, when the Tigers were shut out by Southern Illinois. The defeat this time around also puts the Tigers on the brink of elimination, as Saturday's matchup against Indiana is win-or-go-home.

While Missouri was the only host to fall on Friday, the Tigers weren't the only ones to struggle. No. 3 Tennessee squeaked by Dayton 3-0, No. 13 Alabama outlasted South Carolina Upstate 1-0 and No. 15 Florida State survived Chattanooga 3-2.

First pitch on Saturday is set for 4:30 p.m. CST; if the preceding game between Omaha and Washington runs long, however, Indiana-Missouri will begin 35 minutes after that game's conclusion.