Some losses hurt more than others.

Sometimes, it’s a result of a player lost through injury or a walk-off run that costs a team the game.

Sometimes, for Missouri, it’s just because it’s Kansas.

After dropping both games of a doubleheader in a disappointing performance against LSU on Sunday, Missouri softball compounded its misery Tuesday against rival Kansas, slipping to a third consecutive defeat with a 4-3 loss in Columbia. The loss was Missouri’s first against the Jayhawks since 2009.

Sophomore pitcher Megan Schumacher started for Missouri in the circle. She got through the first inning on just five pitches, but Schumacher’s speed opened her up to risk. Pitching fastballs to contact can get a pitcher into trouble since they can provide all the power needed for a hitter to send one deep.

Schumacher fell into that trap in the second. Kansas’ Ashlyn Anderson pulled a home run over the left-field wall to give the Jayhawks a 1-0 lead.

Missouri was able to respond an inning later with a two-run homer from Hatti Moore. The catcher was one of the more productive players at the plate for the Tigers. She saw the ball well, going 1 for 2 while working a couple of walks to go with her 14th home run of the year.

“She’s been that way the whole season,” Missouri coach Larissa Anderson said, “Every time she steps in the batter’s box, she has a quality at-bat.”

Along with Moore, Abby George and Casidy Chaumont contributed at the plate. George recovered from her hitless series against LSU, going 2 for 3 and scoring on the Moore homer. Chaumont drove in the only other run of the day for the Tigers on a single in the fifth, going 1 for 2 and getting on base with a walk.

Apart from those three, Missouri struggled at the plate when anybody was able to reach. The Tigers finished the game with 10 runners left on base, including five in scoring position.

“We had opportunities,” Anderson said. “We had multiple opportunities throughout the course of the game and we didn’t get the key hit when we needed it.”

It wasn’t just the offense that struggled, either. Schumacher began to leave the ball elevated after the second inning. She was pulled for Sophie Dandola after a pair of singles in the fifth.

Dandola struggled as well and failed to record an out after leaving the ball up for another two singles after walking her first batter. Jordan Weber came in to prevent the Jayhawks offense from adding on, but KU had all it needed.

Anderson said her players will have a day off tomorrow before getting back to work Thursday ahead of the weekend series against Mississippi State.

“We’re gonna work on execution,” Anderson said. “When the game is on the line and you have those opportunities, you’ve gotta be ready to be able to perform.”