Freshman Sidney Forrester had a hit and an RBI in Mizzou’s season-ending loss to Auburn on Tuesday. (Photo courtesy: SECSports.com)
| NCAA Softball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #14 Auburn (26-27) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 0 |
| #11 Mizzou (28-29) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
WP: Charley Butler – AU (1-0) LP: Abby Carr – MIZZ (6-4)
LEXINGTON, KY — The University of Missouri softball team saw its 2026 season end in disappointing fashion on Tuesday, when the Tigers committed several uncharacteristic defensive miscues and blew a 2-0 lead, in a 6-2 loss to Auburn in the first round of the SEC Tournament.
The loss means Missouri will finish the year with a 28-29 record, leaving the team ineligible for postseason play.
The Tigers got off to a roaring start by scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Abby Waits and Stefania Abruscato led off with walks, then freshman Abby Carr followed with a run-scoring double to give Mizzou the lead. Fellow freshman Sidney Forrester singled with two outs to score Abruscato and Mizzou led 2-0.
Senior pitcher Cierra Harrison was dynamite from the start for Missouri, as well. She went five innings and only gave up two hits, with two walks and three strikeouts. In the sixth inning though, Harrison allowed Auburn’s leadoff batter to reach on what appeared to be a wind-aided triple.
That prompted Mizzou coach Larissa Anderson to remove Harrison from the game and bring in Carr to pitch in relief. That decision proved to be costly, as Carr gave up four runs to allow Auburn to take the lead.
The first run scored on a throwing error by Abruscato. The tying run later came in on a wild pitch by Carr. But the big blow of the inning was a two-run home run Carr allowed to Hannah Roebuck, which put Auburn ahead 4-2.
Mizzou didn’t put up much of a fight after that. The Tigers got a two-out hit in the bottom of the sixth and a two-out walk in the seventh, but nothing near what they needed to come back.
“It’s always tough when you have players who give everything they have, and this is the end,” Anderson said. “I’m extremely proud of that Cierra was here for all four years, especially in the nature of today’s athletic climate, with players’ ability to go anywhere at any time, and she’s been completely loyal. She bleeds black-and-gold through and through.”
Harrison, a native of Lee’s Summit, Mo., added: “It’s meant everything to me. Just being close to home and have my family at so many games has meant a lot. It’s been a lot of work, but having Missouri across my chest is something that’s just been a blessing. It’s been great to be here.”
Missouri has now missed the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season, which hadn’t happened since 2002.
2026 MISSOURI TIGERS SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | Tournament | Broadcast | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 6 (Fri) | 9 a.m. | Neutral | Penn State | Clearwater, FL | NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic | L, 4-7 (0-1) | |
| Feb 6 (Fri) | 12 p.m. | Neutral | #5 Oregon | Clearwater, FL | NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic | L, 0-3 (0-2) | |
| Feb 7 (Sat) | 12 p.m. | Neutral | #23 Liberty | Clearwater, FL | NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic |  | W, 13-2 (1-2) |
| Feb 7 (Sat) | 5 p.m. | Neutral | BYU | Clearwater, FL | NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic | W, 9-6 (2-2) | |
| Feb 8 (Sun) | 12 p.m. | Neutral | South Alabama | Clearwater, FL | NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic | | L, 4-5 (2-3) |
| Feb 11 (Wed) | 5 p.m. | Away | Central Florida | Orlando, FL |  | L, 1-5 (2-4) | |
| Feb 13 (Fri) | 11:30 a.m. | Neutral | NC State | Clearwater, FL | Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational |  | L, 7-13 (2-5) |
| Feb 13 (Fri) | 5 p.m. | Neutral | #7 UCLA | Clearwater, FL | Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational | | L, 5-6 (2-6) |
| Feb 14 (Sat) | 9 a.m. | Neutral | Northwestern | Clearwater, FL | Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational | | L, 0-3 (2-7) |
| Feb 14 (Sat) | 2 p.m. | Neutral | #23 Florida Atlantic | Clearwater, FL | Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational | | W, 2-0 (3-7) |
| Feb 15 (Sun) | 8 a.m. | Neutral | #22 Duke | Clearwater, FL | Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational | | W, 5-4 (4-7) |
| Feb 20 (Fri) | 1 p.m. | Neutral | Houston | Lake Charles, LA | Cajun AC Louisiana Clash | L, 3-4 (4-8) | |
| Feb 20 (Fri) | 6 p.m. | Away | McNeese State | Lake Charles, LA | Cajun AC Louisiana Clash | | L, 3-5 (4-9) |
| Feb 21 (Sat) | 1:30 p.m. | Neutral | Houston | Lake Charles, LA | Cajun AC Louisiana Clash | W, 8-2 (5-9) | |
| Feb 21 (Sat) | 4 p.m. | Away | McNeese State | Lake Charles, LA | Cajun AC Louisiana Clash | | L, 1-4 (5-10) |
| Feb 22 (Sun) | 11 a.m. | Neutral | Louisiana | Lake Charles, LA | Cajun AC Louisiana Clash | L, 1-9 (5-11) | |
| Feb 27 (Fri) | 3 p.m. | Home | Wichita State | Mizzou Softball Stadium | Mizzou Invitational |  | W, 12-4 (6-11) |
| Feb 27 (Fri) | 5:30 p.m. | Home | Miami (Ohio) | Mizzou Softball Stadium | Mizzou Invitational | | L, 1-5 (6-12) |
| Feb 28 (Sat) | 3 p.m. | Home | Drake | Mizzou Softball Stadium | Mizzou Invitational | | W, 10-2 (7-12) |
| Feb 28 (Sat) | 5:30 p.m. | Home | Miami (Ohio) | Mizzou Softball Stadium | Mizzou Invitational | | L, 2-8 (7-13) |
| Mar 7 (Sat) | 12 p.m. | Away | #5 Florida | Gainesville, FL | | L, 4-5 (7-14) | |
| Mar 8 (Sun) | 3 p.m. | Away | #5 Florida | Gainesville, FL |  | L, 3-4 (7-15) | |
| Mar 9 (Mon) | 6 p.m. | Away | #5 Florida | Gainesville, FL | | L, 2-5 (7-16) | |
| Mar 11 (Wed) | 3:30 p.m. | Home | Tenn-Martin | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | W, 8-0 (8-16) | |
| Mar 13 (Fri) | 5 p.m. | Home | Minnesota | Mizzou Softball Stadium | Mizzou Bye-Week Series | | W, 8-1 (9-16) |
| Mar 13 (Fri) | 7:30 p.m. | Home | South Dakota | Mizzou Softball Stadium | Mizzou Bye-Week Series | | W, 9-4 (10-16) |
| Mar 14 (Sat) | 2:30 p.m. | Home | South Dakota | Mizzou Softball Stadium | Mizzou Bye-Week Series | | W, 9-0 (11-16) |
| Mar 14 (Sat) | 5 p.m. | Home | Iowa State | Mizzou Softball Stadium | Mizzou Bye-Week Series | | W, 6-4 (12-16) |
| Mar 18 (Wed) | 1 p.m. | Away | Illinois | Champaign, IL |  | W, 3-0 (13-16) | |
| Mar 18 (Wed) | 3 p.m. | Away | Illinois | Champaign, IL | | W, 9-4 (14-16) | |
| Mar 20 (Fri) | 5 p.m. | Home | #6 Alabama | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | L, 1-2 (14-17) | |
| Mar 21 (Sat) | 2 p.m. | Home | #6 Alabama | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | W, 5-2 (15-17) | |
| Mar 22 (Sun) | 12 p.m. | Home | #6 Alabama | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | L, 3-4 (15-18) | |
| Mar 24 (Tue) | 5 p.m. | Away | SIUE | Edwardsville, IL | | W, 8-0 (16-18) | |
| Mar 27 (Fri) | 6 p.m. | Away | #20 Auburn | Auburn, AL | | W, 3-0 (17-18) | |
| Mar 28 (Sat) | 2 p.m. | Away | #20 Auburn | Auburn, AL | | W, 6-3 (18-18) | |
| Mar 29 (Sun) | 1 p.m. | Away | #20 Auburn | Auburn, AL | | W, 6-4 (19-18) | |
| Mar 31 (Tue) | 5 p.m. | Away | Missouri State | Springfield, MO | W, 8-5 (20-18) | ||
| Apr 2 (Thu) | 6 p.m. | Home | #22 LSU | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | L, 9-1 (20-19) | |
| Apr 3 (Fri) | 3 p.m. | Home | #22 LSU | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | L, 16-4 (20-20) | |
| Apr 4 (Sat) | 2:30 p.m. | Home | #22 LSU | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | W, 1-0 (21-20) | |
| Apr 10 (Fri) | 5 p.m. | Away | #11 Georgia | Athens, GA | | L, 8-0 (21-21) | |
| Apr 11 (Sat) | 1 p.m. | Away | #11 Georgia | Athens, GA | | W, 4-3 (22-21) | |
| Apr 12 (Sun) | 1 p.m. | Away | #11 Georgia | Athens, GA | | L, 4-0 (22-22) | |
| Apr 15 (Wed) | 5 p.m. | Away | Kansas | Lawrence, KS | | W 4-2 (23-22) | |
| Apr 17 (Fri) | 6 p.m. | Home | #25 South Carolina | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | L, 5-2 (23-23) | |
| Apr 18 (Sat) | 5 p.m. | Home | #25 South Carolina | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | W, 5-0 (24-23) | |
| Apr 19 (Sun) | 1 p.m. | Home | #25 South Carolina | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | L, 4-0 (24-24) | |
| Apr 22 (Wed) | 6 p.m. | Home | SIUE | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | W, 7-0 (25-24) | |
| Apr 24 (Fri) | 5 p.m. | Away | #6 Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | | L, 4-0 (25-25) | |
| Apr 25 (Sat) | 11 a.m. | Away | #6 Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | | L, 9-2 (25-26) | |
| Apr 26 (Sun) | 1 p.m. | Away | #6 Arkansas | Fayetteville, AR | | W, 3-1 (26-26) | |
| Apr 28 (Tue) | 5 p.m. | Home | Kansas City | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | W, 12-2 (27-26) | |
| Apr 30 (Thu) | 6 p.m. | Home | #9 Tennessee | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | L, 3-1 (27-27) | |
| May 1 (Fri) | 6 p.m. | Home | #9 Tennessee | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | L 4-2 (27-28) | |
| May 2 (Sat) | 12 p.m. | Home | #9 Tennessee | Mizzou Softball Stadium | | W, 4-3 (28-28) | |
| May 7 (Tue) | 10 a.m. | Neutral | #14 Auburn | Lexington, KY | SEC Softball Tournament | | L, 6-2 (28-29) |