CLERMONT, Fla. - Missouri softball opened its season at a 3-1 mark after splitting a doubleheader Saturday at the Dot Richardson Invitational.
The Tigers lost their first game Saturday, 1-0 to Central Florida.
UCF pitcher Shelby Turnier threw seven shutout innings to blank the Tigers. Tori Finucane held the Golden Knights scoreless until the seventh inning when UCF scored on a double and a single. Finucane struck out four, walked three and allowed four hits.
The Tigers rebounded in their second game Saturday, defeating Cleveland State 4-2.
Paige Lowary got the win, throwing 51/3 innings of three-hit ball and allowing just one earned run. Sami Fagan had all three of Missouri's RBI and scored a run of her own.
On Friday, the Tigers began play in the event with a 5-1 defeat of Louisville.
Fagan drove in three runs on two hits, and Kelsea Roth and Emily Crane each drove in runs.
The Tigers got all the scoring they would need in the first two innings, scoring two in the first and three in the second.
Finucane pitched all seven innings to get the win, allowing six hits and one earned run to go with her four strikeouts.
In their second Friday contest, the Tigers downed Chattanooga 6-1. Missouri scored in the first two innings once again and broke out for four in the sixth.
Lowary pitched six innings for the win and struck out six. Cheyenne Baxter pitched the seventh and allowed no damage.
Missouri plays its final game of the Dot Richardson Invitation today at 10:30 a.m. against South Dakota State.