Eight juniors and seniors took the field for Missouri, but it was the underclassmen who stole the show for the host Tigers on Friday night.
Sophomore outfielder Kayley Lenger, freshman pitcher Marissa McCann and freshman Stefania Abruscato played starring roles for MU, piecing together an Oscar-worthy performance in the No. 15 Tigers’ come-from-behind 6-3 victory over No. 9 Florida at Mizzou Softball Stadium.
“It really comes from our seniors, giving our freshman permission to be who they are (and) knowing that we need them to be successful,” Missouri coach Larissa Anderson said.
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Facing a one-run deficit with two outs in the sixth inning, Lenger cut the tension with a game-tying single that plated freshman pinch runner Claire Cahalan, who had replaced Abruscato after she recorded the Tigers’ first hit of the day.