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Cierra Harrison shines as Mizzou Softball run-rules UT-Martin

· Yahoo Sports

In what felt like a must-win game for Mizzou Softball after falling in four straight, the Tigers got it done with a solid run-rule win against a UT-Martin team that didn’t put up too much of a fight. Mizzou won 8-0 in a five-inning run-rule on Wednesday at Mizzou Softball Stadium.

Coming into the midweek sitting at 7-16, Mizzou pitcher Cierra Harrison knew the importance of each win as the non-conference schedule shrinks.

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“(The win) means a lot. It gives us a lot of momentum going into this weekend,” Harrison said after the game.

Harrison pitched arguably her best game of the season, throwing a complete game, striking out six and allowing just three hits in the shutout. She also did it all in under 70 pitches.

“Cierra Harrison threw a gem. In a really tough environment,” Anderson said, alluding perhaps to the cold, wet, windy weather. “I didn’t expect her to throw a complete game.”

Backed by Harrison’s defense, it didn’t take long for the Tigers to get on the board. in the bottom of the first, after leadoff Addy Waits dropped one into shallow right field for a single and then stole second, Stefania Abruscato hit a line drive RBI double to the right field warning track. Abruscato was so close to hitting her first home run of the seasontwice. First, she hit a moonshot that went just foul right before her RBI double, and then in the second, she hit another deep one that landed at the warning track thanks to a UT-Martin error.

The first inning should’ve been over when Abby Hay hit a high fly ball that was caught by the Skyhawks outfielder, but UT-Martin pitcher Ashtyn Green didn’t get her throw off before the pitch clock went off. The fly out ended up registering as a ball, and on the very next pitch, Hay hit an RBI single, that became a double off an error.

During the top of the 2nd, the Skyhawks (13-12) were knocking on the door. With runners on first and third, Kayley Lenger, Abruscato and Waits pulled off an impressive 8-2-5 double play to escape the inning scoreless.

“I mean, that’s a big time play,” Anderson said. “We took advantage of our momentum.”

The two-run first inning was just the beginning for Mizzou, as it would tally off three more runs in the second inning. First, Lenger hit a well-placed bunt and showed off her speed to get to first, and then second through stealing. Waits hit her first RBI of the day to send Lenger home. Abruscato got home thanks to an RBI from Sidney Forrester after reaching base on an error. Then, Hay hit into an error to get Forrester home for the third run of the inning. At that point, it was 5-0 after two innings.

After a scoreless third frame, a three-run fourth inning ultimately sealed the run-rule victory for the Tigers.

First, Waits registered her third hit on three at bats. After a slow start to the season, Waits has been finding her groove over the past few weeks.

“She’s been swinging at her weakness,” Anderson said of the freshman. “She was able to drive more into the middle of the field today.”

Waits scored on a sac fly from Abby Carr, then Danielle Blackstun and Hay scored later in the inning to bring Mizzou’s run counter to 8.

The Tigers had eight different batters register hits, and six different batters register RBI on the team.

“Watch out,” Harrison said. “We have a tough lineup for all pitchers. I think we even saw that in Florida this weekend.”

Following the mid-week victory, Mizzou (8-16) is back in action for the Mizzou Bye-Week Series where it’ll take on Minnesota, South Dakota (twice) and Iowa State. First pitch is set for 5 p.m. Friday against Minnesota at Mizzou Softball Stadium.

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