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COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri softball program (29-20) wraps up its nine-game homestand Tuesday with a midweek against SIUE (20-23). First pitch is set for 6 p.m., CT at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.
Tuesday’s midweek will be broadcasted on SEC Network+ with Graham Doty and Brooke Wilmes on the call.
Missouri is 7-0 in midweek games at home (8-0 in 2023) this season and most recently overcame border showdown rival, Kansas, 4-3, on April 19.
Tuesday marks Mizzou’s final regular-season non-conference matchup.
The Tigers are currently on a four-game win streak after their series sweep of North Texas and midweek win over Kansas. The streak is the longest for Mizzou in 2023 since claiming eight in a row from Feb. 15-23.
Missouri ranks first in the SEC for fielding percentage (.980, ninth in the NCAA) and second for stolen bases (92, 1.88 stolen/game) in 2023. Additionally, the Tigers are second for triples (0.31).
Missouri (29-20)
vs. SIUE (20-23)
Dates: Tuesday, April 25, 2023
Venue: Mizzou Softball Stadium
Location: Columbia, Mo.
Game Time: 6 p.m., CT
All-Time Series: Missouri leads the all-time series with SIUE, 5-1
Last Meeting: Missouri 6, SIUE 1 | Feb. 27, 2021 | Mobile, Alabama | South Alabama Invitational
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
Live Video: SEC Network+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Twitter: @MizzouSoftball
Series History
- Missouri leads the all-time series with SIUE, 5-1.
- The Tigers won the most recent meeting between the two schools, 6-1, to close out day two of the South Alabama Invitational, Feb. 27, 2021.
- Jenna Laird went 2-for-3 with a run and a stolen base while Alex Honnold finished 2-for-3 with two runs, a double, RBI and a walk.
- Laurin Krings picked up the win, pitching 3.0 scoreless innings (0 hits) in relief with three strikeouts and a walk for the win.
- Head coach Larissa Anderson is 2-0 in her career against SIUE.
North Texas Sweep
Missouri most recently swept its three-game series with North Texas. The Tigers won the opener, 1-0, behind a no hitter from Laurin Krings before a 2-1 victory in game two. Mizzou then captured the sweep with a 5-0 complete-game shutout from Krings.
Julia Crenshaw slammed a solo shot for the lone run in the opener. She also had a double, two RBI and a run over the series.
Kara Daly paced Mizzou with four hits (.444) with two RBI, a triple, and two runs.
Maddie Gallagher led the Tigers, hitting .667 with a RBI. Alex Honnold added a .500 mark at the plate.
Cierra Harrison picked up the win in the circle in game two of the series, allowing just a hit with two strikeouts and a walk over two innings.
Megan Moll went 1-for-2 at the dish with a run in the second game of the series.
Krings in the Circle
Junior Laurin Krings was stellar in the circle for the Tigers this past week, earning a trio of wins in three appearances. She pitched 15 consecutive scoreless innings (0.00 ERA) this past week with 28 strikeouts (26 over UNT series). Krings registered two complete-game shutout wins, and allowed just four hits and a walk over the week.
Krings opened the week with a 1.0 inning relief appearance against border rival, Kansas, scattering a hit to go with a pair of strikeouts for the win.
She then registered her third career no hitter (she compiled a perfect game on March 6, 2022) in the opener with North Texas. Krings’ no hitter featured a career-high 17 strikeouts which is a Missouri single-game record for a 7.0 inning game. She punched out 14 of the first 15 batters she faced (13 consecutive strikeouts), while she recorded the other out in the sequence on a sliding catch on a popped-up bunt. Friday was Krings’ second outing of the season with 10 or more strikeouts, and the third time she reached 14 or more strikeouts in her career.
Krings concluded the UNT series with a complete-game shutout in the Sunday finale. She allowed just three hits and one walk while registering nine strikeouts on 91 pitches over 7.0 innings Sunday.
Krings increased her career strikeout total to 430 which moves her into ninth all-time in Missouri program history ahead of Kristin Nottelmann (429 strikeouts, 2009-12). Krings has notched five-or-more strikeouts 13 times in 2023 including 12 of her last 14 starts. She surpassed 100 strikeouts (123) for the third-straight season.
AL PAL
Alex Honnold is fifth in the SEC (25th in the NCAA) this season with a .429 batting average and fourth in the conference with a .569 on base percentage (10th in the NCAA). She is also sixth in the SEC with an .840 slugging percentage (16th in the NCAA).
On the basepaths, Honnold has snagged 18 bags (0.38 stolen bases/game), which is fifth in the SEC.
The junior from West Des Moines, Iowa, is currently on a 13-game reached base streak. She most recently hit .444 (.500 in the UNT series) with two homers, four RBI and four runs this past week. Honnold posted a 1.111 slugging percentage over the four games.
She finished the UNT series with a 2-for-2 day at the plate with two runs, two walks, and a RBI Sunday. Honnold connected on a solo dinger to right. In game two of the weekend, she posted a RBI single.
Honnold, who was recently named a Top 25 Finalist for 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, blasted a two-run opposite-field homer to open the scoring against Kansas on April 19. She finished 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run.
Honnold leads the Tigers in 2023 for homers (11) followed by Julia Crenshaw (9).
Honnold has registered 16 multi-hit games in 2023 (second on Missouri) and is third on the Tigers with 38 RBI (eight multi-RBI games, third on the team).
She was named the SEC Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 20, batting .643 with a 1.357 slugging percentage and a .762 on-base percentage as the Tigers went 6-0 over their non-conference Florida trip. Honnold was 9-for-14 at the dish, compiling 10 RBI, nine runs, four doubles and two home runs over the six games.
Gally
Second base Maddie Gallagher is currently on a 12-game reached base streak (four-game hitting streak) after she paced the Tigers in their North Texas series with a .667 batting average (.500)
She opened the week with a RBI single in the midweek with Kansas. Gallagher added a hit in each of the two games she appeared in against UNT.
Overall, Gallagher is third on the team with a .299 batting average. She has posted five multi-hit games (two multi-RBI games) this season.
On the Daly
Kara Daly hit .444 over the Tigers home series with North Texas. Overall, she finished the week with a mark of .417.
Daly went 2-for-3 with a RBI in each of the final two games of the series with the Mean Green. She notched her second triple of the season in the third inning of the finale on Sunday.
Daly opened the week with her 10th double of the season in the Tigers midweek win over Kansas.
She has registered nine multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI games this season. Daly ranks second on the team with 40 RBI and is also third in 2023 with eight home runs.
CRANNY
Catcher Julia Crenshaw hit .364 this past week with three RBI, a pair of doubles, and a home run.
She opened the week with a 2-for-3 day at the plate in Wednesday’s midweek win over Kansas. It marked her 12th multi-hit game of the season.
She registered the game-winning RBI double in the sixth and also scored in the win on April 19.
In the opener with North Texas, Crenshaw caught Laurin Krings’ no hitter and recorded the game-winning home run.
Crenshaw then posted her team-leading 11th double of the campaign, finishing 1-for-3 with a RBI, in the finale on Sunday.
Crenshaw is second on the team in 2023 with nine home runs and has produced nine multi-RBI games this season which paces Missouri with Kara Daly.
Crenshaw leads the SEC and is third in the NCAA with six sacrifice flies.
Our Leadoff Hitter
Jenna Laird ranks sixth in the SEC with 52 hits. The junior shortstop from East Meadow, New York, is second on Mizzou in 2023 with a .331 mark at the dish.
She has compiled a .827 OPS (.426 OB%) and paces the Tigers with 18 multi-hit games (three hits four times). She also has eight multi-RBI games.
On the basepaths, Laird is second in the conference (15th in the NCAA) with 28 stolen bases (0.57 stolen bases/game, third in the SEC).
Tigers Secure Border Showdown Victory Over Kansas
Mizzou beat border rival, Kansas, 4-3, April 19 at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.
With the midweek tied at 3-3, Julia Crenshaw registered a game-winning RBI double in the bottom of the sixth to score Kara Daly and break the stalemate. Daly picked up her team-leading 10th double of the season to set the stage for Crenshaw’s hit.
Freshman closer Taylor Pannell then slammed the door on the Jayhawks in the top of the seventh for the save.
Crenshaw led Missouri at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double, a run, and a RBI. It marked her 12th multi-hit game of the season. She extended her (then) reached base streak to six games.
Alex Honnold, Kara Daly, Maddie Gallagher, and Riley Frizell each posted a hit in the win.
Laurin Krings came on in relief in the sixth, scattering a hit to go with a pair of strikeouts for the win.
Honnold Named Top 25 Finalist for 2023 USA Softball Player of the Year
Junior outfielder Alex Honnold was listed as one of the Top 25 Finalists for the 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, the organization announced April 19.
USA Softball will narrow down the Top 25 Finalists to 10 athletes on May 3, and the Top 3 finalists will be released on May 17. The 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced prior to the Women’s College World Series, which will take place June 1-9.
In the Circle
LAURIN KRINGS
Laurin Krings leads the Tigers with a 11-9 mark, throwing eight complete games over 126.0 innings. She has registered 123 strikeouts and has an ERA of 2.39.
Krings has won her last three appearances. She pitched 15 consecutive scoreless innings (0.00 ERA) this past week with 28 strikeouts (26 over UNT series) including a career-best 17-strikeout no hitter over North Texas on April 21.
Krings pitched a career-high 8.2 innings in the second game of the Alabama series on March 31, finishing with six strikeouts.
Krings was also dominant in a complete-game victory over No. 8/8 Northwestern on Feb. 11 (three strikeouts, one run on four hits in the complete-game win). She also registered a season-high 11 strikeouts in a complete-game shutout of Illinois on March 14.
Krings has notched five-or-more strikeouts 13 times in 2023 including 12 of her last 14 starts.
Krings surpassed 400 strikeouts in her career as a Tiger with five in the Ole Miss finale on April 17. She ranks ninth all-time in program history with 430 ahead of Kristin Nottelmann (429 strikeouts, 2009-12). Krings also registered her third-straight 100-plus strikeout (123) season.
CIERRA HARRISON
Freshman Cierra Harrison has 65 strikeouts and is first for Tiger starters with a 2.36 ERA. She is 8-2 in 2023 with a complete-game win over Maine on March 3 and career-best eight strikeouts against Butler on Feb. 18. Opposing batters are hitting .190 against Harrison this season.
Harrison has registered seven-or-more strikeouts five times and matched her career-high eight punch outs against Drake on March 22.
She threw a one-hit complete game shutout of Lindenwood in midweek action on April 12. Harrison wrapped up the complete-game shutout by allowing just a single hit while striking out six over five innings.
She pitched 7.0 innings in relief during the Ole Miss series, striking out four with a 2.00 ERA (.182 batting average).
Harrison most recently picked up the win in the circle in game two of the series with North Texas, allowing just a hit with two strikeouts and a walk over two innings.
JORDAN WEBER
Jordan Weber is 7-7 this season with a 4.06 ERA to go with 52 strikeouts. Weber threw a no-hitter (third career no-hitter, second individual no-hitter) at FIU on Feb. 18 with a season-high four strikeouts. She also pitched a complete-game, allowing just two runs on three hits with a season-high five strikeouts against Illinois on March 14.
Weber picked up her first SEC win of the season on March 17 at Florida, letting up just three runs on five hits with four strikeouts over 6.2 innings.
She earned her seventh win of the season (39 career wins), working 4.1 innings in the opener with Ole Miss on April 15. She allowed just three runs on seven hits with a strikeout and a walk.
MEGAN SCHUMACHER
Megan Schumacher is 2-1 thus far in 2023 with a 5.04 ERA over 25.0 innings (13 strikeouts). Schumacher registered a complete-game shutout, allowing just one hit as the Tigers notched a 10-0 run-rule win over Maine March 4. The start was her first of the 2023 campaign, tallying two strikeouts.
TAYLOR PANNELL
Freshman Taylor Pannell paces the conference with six saves (fourth in the NCAA). She has made 15 appearances (15.0 innings) in 2023. The Tigers closer from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, has compiled a 2.80 ERA and opposing batters are hitting .193.
2023 Preseason SEC Poll
Missouri Softball was selected to finish eighth in the Southeastern Conference in 2023, the league announced Jan. 26. The Tigers received 63 points in the annual preseason poll voted on by the conference’s 13 head coaches.
Jenna Laird Preseason Accolades
Missouri Softball junior shortstop Jenna Laird has been named to five 2023 preseason lists ahead of the season. She was named to the 2023 Preseason All-SEC Team on Feb. 2, to the Top 50 Watch List for the 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year on Jan. 25 and has also been named to D1Softball’s Preseason D100 Players, Extra Inning Softball’s Extra Elite 100 College Player Rankings and Softball America’s 2023 Preseason Top 100.
Laird led the Tigers in 2022 for batting average (.338), doubles (11), triples (3), runs scored (44) and stolen bases (22) as she garnered 2022 NFCA Third Team All-Region honors.
Laird was named to the 2022 SEC All-Tournament Team after she led the Tigers to the Championship Final, batting .500 over the four games. She was also selected to the 2022 All-SEC Second Team after posting a hitting line of .291/.519/.341 in conference play.
In the field, Laird was tabbed a 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove recipient for her play at shortstop. She posted a .975 fielding percentage, turning 10 double plays in total over 163 chances.
Looking Ahead
Following Mizzou’s final regular-season midweek, the Tigers will head to College Station, Texas, for a three-game road series with No. 25/24 Texas A&M. Game times for the Friday, Saturday, Sunday series are set for 5 p.m., CT.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team @MizzouSoftball (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
Single-game and limited season tickets are currently on sale. Tickets can be purchased online, in-person at the Mizzou ticket office, or by calling 1 (800) CAT-PAWS.
