The No. 3 LSU softball team fell, 10-2, to No. 15 Missouri on Sunday, losing its second series of the season. The loss is also the Tigers’ third consecutive, a streak they haven’t seen in more than a year.
Missouri (35-10, 13-7 Southeastern Conference) raced out to an early lead, and the deficit was too much for LSU (41-8, 13-7 SEC).
LSU earned two walks in the top of the first inning, but Missouri sophomore pitcher Tori Finucane stranded LSU’s two baserunners, keeping LSU off the scoreboard.
Missouri immediately took control of the game in its first trip to the plate, opening up a 4-0 lead after one inning. Missouri used two singles, a walk and a home run off freshman pitcher Allie Walljasper to get out to its quick start.
Freshman third baseman Amanda Sanchez’s two-RBI single gave Missouri the lead. Sophomore catcher Kirsten Mack’s two-run home run capped the scoring in the inning.
LSU chipped away at Missouri’s lead in the top of the third. Junior shortstop Bianka Bell hit her 14th home run of the season to cut Missouri’s lead to 4-1. However, Missouri responded with three runs of its own in the bottom of the same inning.
Missouri took advantage of a single, a walk, a wild pitch, an error, three stolen bases and a sacrifice fly to stretch its lead to 7-1. After plunking her second batter of the inning, Walljasper exited the circle in favor of sophomore pitcher Kelsee Selman. 
Walljasper completed 2 2/3 innings and allowed seven runs, four of which were earned. Selman prevented any more runs from crossing home plate, but Missouri wasn’t done scoring.
LSU got another run back in the top of the fourth. Sophomore second baseman Constance Quinn and senior center fielder A.J. Andrews reached on consecutive errors. Quinn was able to take third on Finucane’s error. Missouri turned to freshman pitcher Paige Lowary, but sophomore right fielder Bailey Landry’s ground out in the following at-bat scored Quinn.
Missouri immediately answered LSU’s offense again in the bottom of the fourth with another three-run inning. A walk and single coupled with an error by Andrews gave Missouri runners on second and third with nobody out. An error by Quinn allowed Missouri to push two more runs across and extend Missouri’s lead to 10-2 after four innings.
Lowary retired LSU in order in the the fifth to seal the run-rule victory and series for Missouri. 
LSU will look to bounce back in Game 3 at 6 p.m. today.
You can reach Jack Woods on Twitter @Jack_TDR.