Missouri drops into losers' bracket at College World Series

Missouri coach Ehren Earleywine goes to the pitching circle to talk with pitcher Chelsea Thomas in the second inning of a College World Series tournament game against Arizona State. Thomas allowed six earned runs in two innings of play. Arizona State won the game 7-3.   ¦  The Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY — The Missouri softball team will now have to win its way out.

After a 7-3 loss to Arizona State, the Tigers will meet the University of Georgia at 11 a.m. Saturday in the losers' bracket of the College World Series. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and will be available online at ESPN360.com.

One more loss will mean elimination from the eight-team championships in Oklahoma City. The winner of Saturday's early game will play on ESPN Saturday night.

The Tigers were never really in Thursday's game against Arizona State. Freshman Chelsea Thomas started the game but allowed six earned runs in just two innings of work.

Missouri failed to fight back. The Tigers had only four hits against Arizona State, including a solo home run by rightfielder Marla Schweisberger in the seventh inning. It was her eighth home run. The Tigers loaded the bases with none out in the sixth but could only come up with one run. Missouri committed two errors in the game.

This is the first appearance in the College World Series in 15 years for the 11th-ranked Tigers, who are now 50-11 on the season.

Georgia joined Missouri in the losers' bracket with a 3-1 loss to the University of Washington earlier Thursday.