The Missouri Tigers went 4-1 over the first weekend of the new season. (Photo courtesy: Thomas Grove)
NCAA Softball
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Iowa (3-2)
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#15 Missouri (4-1)
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WP: Taylor Pannell – MIZ (1-1) LP: Jalen Adams – IOWA (2-1)
Paige Dale Staff Writer
CLEARWATER, FL — The No. 15-ranked University of Missouri women’s softball team wrapped up its opening 2025 weekend by claiming a 3-2 walkoff win over the University of Iowa, Sunday afternoon at the Eddie C. Moore Complex.
Missouri, which went into the bottom of the seventh trailing 2-1, scored two unearned runs to earn the win. It was the Tigers’ fourth win in five games over the weekend and a thrilling end to a fun set of games at the 2025 NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic.
Senior Julia Crenshaw led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk, then stole second, and remained there after teammate Abby Hay drew a two-out walk. Junior Mya Dodge then bounded a ball back to the Iowa pitcher that looked like it might potentially be the final out.
But the pitcher’s throw sailed wide of first base and went for an error that allowed Crenshaw to score and tie the game. Then, on the next pitch, Mizzou pinch runner Danielle Blackstun (who was in for Hay) scored on a wild pitch to give the Tigers the winning run and a fun finish to a wild weekend in Florida.
Iowa led for most of Sunday’s game. The Hawkeyes took the first lead on a Missouri error in the second inning.
The Tigers answered back in the fifth inning, when Hay blasted her first homer of the season to the score 1-1.
Iowa retook the lead in the top of the seventh and were one out away, and seemingly one good throw to first base away from pulling off a major upset over nationally-ranked Mizzou. But the Tigers rallied like they needed to and won the game.
Pitcher Taylor Pannell (1-1) got the win in the circle, after getting the final two outs in the top of the seventh.
At the plate, Hay reached base all four times she batted. She was 1-for-1 with the solo home run and she walked three different times.
Kara Daly (1-for-1, walk), Sophie Smith (1-for-1) and Claire Cahalan (1-for-3) each added hits in the win.
Taylor Pannell (1-1) earned her first win of the season, pitching the final two outs of the seventh, allowing just a hit with a strikeout.
Nathalie Touchet made her first appearance of the season Sunday, pitching 2.1 innings in relief of starter Marissa McCann. Touchet, a sophomore from Aledo, Texas, notched her first career strikeout at Mizzou while allowing just two hits (one run, zero earned runs) and two walks.
McCann pitched the opening four innings, allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
The Tigers will be back in action on Tuesday, when they’ll be in Orlando to play a game against Central Florida.
First pitch for that contest is set for 5 p.m., and the game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
