COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 14/14 University of Missouri softball team (36-13, 9-10 SEC) opened its series with No. 18/18 Mississippi State (30-15, 9-10 SEC) with a 4-0 victory Saturday night at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.
The victory makes MU 36-16 (9-10 SEC) in 2024, and the Bulldogs drop to 30-15 (9-10 SEC) for their campaign.
Laurin Krings earned the complete-game shutout victory in the circle, fanning five and not allowing an extra-base hit. MSU never managed multiple runners on base in the contest.
Freshman Abby Hay set the pace for Missouri offensively, finishing the day 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI. Senior Jenna Laird went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and came around to score.
Krings would shut down Mississippi State to open the game, coaxing three quick outs in the first frame Saturday.
Mizzou then capitalized in the bottom of the frame, as Hay knocked an RBI single into left field which, thanks to an error, plated seniors Alex Honnold and Maddie Gallagher for the early 2-0 lead.
Krings remained locked in, allowing just one hit through the first three innings. In the top of the fourth, the Loveland, Colorado, native, fanned the side as Mizzou held onto their two-run advantage.
Hay would bring in another run in the bottom of the fifth, as an RBI fielder’s choice scored Laird and widened the MU lead to three.
Laird pushed another run across in the sixth, as an RBI double in shallow center field brought senior Chantice Phillips home from second and pushed Mizzou ahead 4-0.
In the seventh, Krings shut down the side, forcing two…
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