Missouri softball dropped all three games to No. 16 Kentucky over the weekend in its conference-opening series in Columbia.
The No. 23 Tigers hosted the Wildcats (16-5-3) in a three-day series at Mizzou Softball Stadium starting Friday and rounded the weekend with a doubleheader on Sunday.
Jenna Laird stands in the batter’s box Sunday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium in Columbia. The Tigers had seven innings and zero runs, resulting in a 5-0 loss to the Wildcats.
After a pair of losses on Sunday — 5-0 and 6-0 — Missouri dropped to 16-9 on the season.
In the first game of the doubleheader, junior Jenna Laird paced the Tigers offensively by going 3-for-3 at the plate. Laird recorded three of Missouri's five hits in the game.
Jordan Weber pitches for a Kentucky batter Sunday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium in Columbia. Weber took a throw to her leg during the fifth inning.
The game was scoreless through the fifth inning until Kentucky notched a two-run double in the sixth. The Wildcats kept their momentum and added three more in the seventh to clinch their second win over the Tigers.
Although Missouri ultimately came away with a loss, Chantice Phillips made a notable play on defense. The junior left fielder robbed Kentucky's Grace Lorsung of a home run in the fourth inning to keep the game scoreless, leaping to snatch the shot at the wall.
In the series finale, Kentucky took the lead in the first inning off three runs on three hits and an error.
Chantice Phillips returns to the dugout with her teammates Sunday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium in Columbia. Phillips caught the ball mid-air, ending multiple innings throughout the match.
The Wildcats then added two more runs in the third and one in the fifth to notch the win.
Missouri loaded the bases in four separate innings but was still unable to put up any runs on Kentucky.
Freshman pitcher Cierra Harrison was handed her first career loss in the circle, while Stephanie Schoonover collected her tenth win of the season.
The Tigers were previously swept at the plate by Schoonover's pitching when they faced the junior Friday for the first time this season. She collected 15 strikeouts and only two hits in the 5-0 win over Missouri in that first game.
Missouri's defeated offense will look to bounce back at home again Tuesday. The Tigers are set to face Illinois in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. at Mizzou Softball Stadium.
Maddie Gallagher waits to run to second base on Sunday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium in Columbia. The match was Missouri's second conference game of the season, postponed due to weather Saturday.