Late-Game Heroics in Win Over No. 25 Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. – In her first start of the season, Loren Krzysko delivered with the game-winning, two-run single in the top of the seventh to help the Razorbacks to a 6-5 win Saturday afternoon over No. 25 Missouri. Arkansas trailed by two entering the inning but scored three run to complete the come-from-behind victory. A.J. Belans and Haydi Bugarin each had two hits and an RBI in the game and Autumn Storms collected her 11th win of the season.
With Saturday’s result, Arkansas improves to 23-14 overall and 3-11 in SEC play. The win also snaps an eight-game slide, five of which were decided by one or two runs. The Razorbacks tallied 10 hits against Mizzou for its first double-digit effort since March 12 at No. 9 Alabama.
Final: Arkansas 6, #25 Missouri 5 | Box Score
Missouri (21-15, 4-6 SEC) led 5-3 after six innings but Autumn Russell got things going with an infield single, sliding in safely at first to lead off the seventh inning. Belans drove an RBI double into the gap that allowed Russell to score from first, and the Tigers’ lead was down to one. Missouri brought in Friday starter Cheyenne Baxter but Tori Cooper and Nicole Schroeder drew back-to-back walks to load the bases for Krzysko.
On a 2-2 pitch, the Barrington, Ill., native knocked her first hit of the season through the left side of the infield to plate the game-tying and go-ahead runs. Prior to Saturday’s game, Krzysko had appeared in just six games as a pinch runner. She finished the game 1-for-2 with a walk and sacrifice bunt that led to a score in the second.
After a 1-2-3 inning for both pitchers in the first, the Razorbacks opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the second inning on RBI singles by Schroeder and Madison Yannetti. Arkansas took advantage of an error on a would-be force out on Belans at second; she scored the first run of the game on the Schroeder base knock to center. Cooper scored her first of two runs on the hit by Yannetti.
The home team answered with a run in the bottom of the second on a solo home run by Chloe Rathburn and took the lead with two more runs in the bottom of the third. Bugarin evened the score with a solo shot of her own in the top of the fourth, her second big fly of the season. The home run was Arkansas’ 38th of the season, 32 of which have come on the road.
Missouri broke the tie with a pair of scores in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run single by Natalie Fleming off Storms who re-entered the game to relieve Caroline Hedgcock. Storms recorded the final two outs of the inning to keep the Razorbacks’ deficit at two. Pitching with the lead in the seventh, Storms retired the side in order including a pair of tappers to the circle for the final two outs of the game.
Up Next
Sunday’s series finale between Arkansas and Missouri is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start. The game will be streamed live on SEC Network+ and available through the WatchESPN app. Arkansas’ next home game, the first of five in a row at home, is April 11 when the team hosts Tulsa at Bogle Park.
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