After falling behind 6-0 early in the game, Missouri rallied for 10 unanswered runs on Saturday in the series finale at Taylor Stadium in Columbia, handing Kentucky a damaging loss in the Wildcats' dwindling postseason hopes.

The setback dropped UK to 5-10 in the SEC at the midpoint of the league schedule. The Cats still have series remaining against traditional national power Vanderbilt, No. 1 Tennessee, No. 17 Auburn, No. 23 Florida, and South Carolina. They will likely need to go at least 9-6 in those games to have an outside shot at an NCAA Tournament bid.

It looked like Kentucky (21-15) was on its way to its first SEC series victory since taking two out of three from a ranked Georgia squad in March. The Cats raced to a 6-0 lead in the second inning against Mizzou, but the Tigers batted around in an eight-run third inning and never looked back.

Missouri (21-12, 5-10 SEC) sent 12 men to the plate in the decisive inning. The UK pitching/defensive debacle included six hits, two walks, the same batter hit by a pitch on two occasions, a bases-loaded walk, a wild pitch to plate a run, and a steal of home.

The Tigers got a pair of hits from the trio of Torin Montgomery, Fox Leum, and Ross Lovich. The latter also drove in three runs for Mizzou out of the 9 hole in the batting order.

Tyler Bosma started on the mound for the Cats but lasted only two-plus innings. He surrendered six runs on five hits and a pair of walks. Tyler Guilfoil (0-1) took the loss out of the bullpen, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks in four innings of work.

Carter Rustad (3-1) was the beneficiary of the Tigers' offensive explosion in the third inning. He picked up the win in relief of starter Austin Marozas, who was hit hard in the first two innings.

Rustad stabilized the game for Mizzou, holding the Cats scoreless over 4.2 innings of three-hit work. Ian Lohse pitched the final 1.1 innings for the winners, allowing no damage.

Kentucky failed to score in its final seven trips to the plate, stranding nine runners on the basepaths.

Daniel Harris, Rueben Church, and Kirk Liebert each had two hits to lead the Cats.

Kentucky managed only 15 combined hits in the final two games after recording 22 in a 15-6 win to open the series.