Missouri Tigers beat Alabama and reach semifinals of SEC softball tournament

It took just four days, but Missouri softball got its revenge on Alabama.

In the Tigers’ final game of the regular season against the Crimson Tide last weekend, Alabama scored three runs on a home run that did not appear to go over the left field fence. Left fielder Casidy Chaumont brought the ball back onto the field, but the play was not reviewable and MU lost.

But seventh-seeded Missouri didn’t back down to Alabama in the Southeastern Conference quarterfinals in Gainesville, Florida, defeating the No. 2 seed and fifth-ranked Crimson Tide 3-0 on Thursday afternoon.

The shutout was the second straight for 24th-ranked Missouri (35-19) after it defeated No. 10 seed Auburn on Wednesday. Laurin Krings tossed a complete game and limited Alabama to five hits.

All of the damage against Alabama ace Montana Fouts came in the top of the sixth. Once again, it was a Jenna Laird double that put Missouri in position to take the lead. She was driven in on a Kendyll Bailey sacrifice fly and Kara Daly brought in another run on an RBI single. A dropped pop fly later pushed MU’s lead to 3-0.

Alabama mustered just one hit in the final two innings and an overturned replay review ended the Crimson Tide’s rally hopes in the seventh.

Entering the matchup, Alabama had won 21 consecutive opening game matchups in the conference tournament dating back to 1999.

Missouri will take on third-seeded Tennessee at 2 p.m. Central time Friday in the semifinals on ESPN2.

This story was originally published May 12, 2022 at 6:12 PM.