Mizzou-Auburn Softball: A Battle of Harrisons and Tigers

In a pitching duel, the black & gold Tigers came out on top over the blue & orange Tigers.

Mar. 28, 2026 at 1:48am

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In a matchup between two teams with Tigers as their mascot, the Missouri Tigers traveled to Auburn, Alabama to take on the Auburn Tigers in a key SEC softball showdown. The game featured a pitching duel between Mizzou's CeCe Harrison and Auburn's Ella Harrison, with the Missouri Tigers emerging victorious 3-0 behind strong performances from their freshmen hitters.

Why it matters

This was an important early-season conference matchup between two teams looking to establish themselves in the SEC standings. The game also featured an intriguing subplot with the two Harrisons in the circle and the high utilization of freshmen players by both squads.

The details

Mizzou jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the 2nd inning on an RBI single by Kayley Lenger. The Tigers extended their lead to 2-0 on a solo home run by Madison Uptegrove in the 4th inning, and Uptegrove added an RBI triple in the 6th to make it 3-0. In the circle, CeCe Harrison was dominant for Mizzou, allowing just 3 hits and 2 walks over 5 innings with 4 strikeouts. Abby Carr came on in relief and closed out the game for the Tigers.

  • The game was played on March 28, 2026.
  • Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 2pm CST on March 29, 2026.

The players

CeCe Harrison

The starting pitcher for Missouri, who tossed 5 strong innings, allowing just 3 hits and 2 walks while striking out 4 batters.

Ella Harrison

The starting pitcher for Auburn, who struck out 9 batters in a complete game effort but took the loss.

Madison Uptegrove

The Missouri Tigers' slugger, who hit a solo home run in the 4th inning and added an RBI triple in the 6th to extend Mizzou's lead.

Chris Malveaux

The co-head coach of the Auburn Tigers, who previously served on staff at Missouri under head coach Larissa Anderson.

Kate Malveaux

The co-head coach of the Auburn Tigers, who also previously worked at Missouri as the Director of Operations.

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What they’re saying

“Missouri is going to be a very hard-nose teams. They are going to play hard. They are very gritty. Pitching and defense are going to be a very big staple for them. When you let up, they are going to find a way to score. We've got to make pitches, and we've got to be locked in offensively. Their record is a little misleading. They've played an incredibly tough schedule, and they can beat anyone. We've got to show up and get after it.”

— Chris Malveaux, Co-Head Coach, Auburn Tigers

What’s next

Game 2 of the series is scheduled for 2pm CST on March 29, 2026, with Mizzou's Marissa McCann expected to take the circle against Auburn's SJ Geurin.

The takeaway

This game highlighted the depth and talent of both the Missouri and Auburn softball programs, with the young Tigers of Mizzou proving they can win a tight, low-scoring affair against a tough conference opponent. The pitching matchup between the two Harrisons was a captivating subplot, and the high utilization of freshmen players by both teams suggests bright futures ahead for these programs.