No. 11/13 Softball Splits Opening Day of 2024 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. –  The No. 11/13 University of Missouri softball team (11-1) split its pair of 2024 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic games Thursday at Big League Dreams Yankee Stadium.

After Mizzou dropped its first contest of the season, a 3-2 decision to San Diego State (6-5), the Tigers then outlasted Wisconsin (5-7), 3-2, in the night cap. 

San Diego State 3, No. 11/13 Mizzou 2

Both pitchers – Mizzou’s Laurin Krings and SDSU’s Allie Light – made their impact felt early, as the two squads combined for just one hit in the first two innings.

MU attempted to put together the first rally, with Jenna Laird and Alex Honnold on the corners in the top of the third, but the Tigers couldn’t push a run across in the frame.

After striking out the first two batters in the bottom of the third, a defensive miscue by Mizzou would extend the inning. A single and a home run from Mac Barbara punished the mistake and broke the scoreless deadlock, as the Tigers found themselves in a 3-0 hole.

Missouri would quickly answer, loading the bases in the top of the fifth and using a Honnold sacrifice fly to cut into the San Diego State lead, 3-1.

In the top of the sixth, Kayley Lenger launched the first home run of her collegiate career, a solo shot to left, to pull the Tigers within one. 

The Tigers would enter the seventh needing a run to tie it, and Kara Daly would single to keep the rally alive with two outs, but MU was unable to plate the game-tying run, dropping the contest 3-2.

GAME NOTES

• Kayley Lenger launched her first collegiate home run in the contest, a sixth-inning solo shot.
• Laurin Krings finished the game with six innings pitched, allowing zero earned runs, and just three hits. She struck out seven in the contest and only allowed one extra-base hit.
• Jenna Laird set the pace for Mizzou offensively, going 2-for-3 with a double and a hit by pitch.
• Mizzou’s 10-1 start to the 2024 season is the best start for Missouri since the Tigers opened the 2009 campaign 12-0 en route to a 50-12 finish.
• Despite the loss, Mizzou still leads the all-time series with San Diego State, 5-3.

No. 11/13 Mizzou 3, Wisconsin 2

The Tigers then finished the first day of the 2024 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a victory, overcoming Wisconsin, 3-2, Thursday in the late evening contest. 

Alex Honnold knocked a one-out double, before scoring on a wild pitch to put the Tigers on the board, 1-0, in the first. 

Though she was presented with a no decision, Cierra Harrison held the Badgers scoreless through the first four innings. Harrison logged six strikeouts, while allowing just one run on four hits over 5.0 innings of work. 

The Lee’s Summit, Missouri, sophomore, also benefited from stout Mizzou defense. With one-out and a Badger at third, junior catcher Julia Crenshaw picked off Danielle Lucey attempting to increase her lead at third before Harrison blanked a Wisconsin hitter with a strikeout. 

Wisconsin evened the score at one a piece in the bottom of the fifth on a solo homer from Ava Kuszak.

The Tigers then mounted an offensive attack in the top of the seventh to break the tie. 

Sparked by a Jenna Laird single to center, the Tigers would pull ahead 3-1. Laird would advance to third on a wild pitch before Kara Daly drew a walk for runners on the corners. Daly was then lifted for pinch runner Danielle Blackstun.

Laird then tagged home on an RBI single from Maddie Gallagher as Blackstun showcased her knack for base running, going first to third on the play. 

Blackstun increased the Missouri edge to 3-1 on a wild pitch. 

Closer Taylor Pannell closed out the sixth and seventh for the win. After entering following a leadoff walk, Pannell pitched around a bases loaded jam in the sixth.

The Badgers would have the bases juiced once again in the seventh, with Pannell limiting the damage to one. She closed both of the final two innings with strikeouts, allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts.  

NOTES

• Jenna Laird and Madison Walker led the way for Mizzou with two hits apiece. Laird scored once, going 2-for-4 at the plate.
• The game marked Laird’s third-straight game with two hits (fifth two-hit game this season). She extended her reached base streak to 12 (six-game hitting streak). 
• Madison Walker has now recorded three two-hit games in her freshman season. She has posted two hits in two of the last three games (three-game hitting streak). 
• Alex Honnold clocked a double, while scoring one run and going 1-for-4. It marked the fifth double for Honnold during the 2024 campaign. 
• Alex Honnold and Kayley Lenger (1-for-3) both extended their hitting streaks to four games. 
• Maddie Gallagher tallied an RBI (sixth in 2024), going 1-for-4 at the plate to push her reached base streak to six games. 
• Kara Daly drew a pair of walks to continue her reached base streak (five games). 
• Cierra Harrison was dominant in the circle for Missouri, throwing four shutout innings to commence the game, surrendering just one run on four hits to go with six strikeouts over 5.0 innings for the no-decision. 
• Taylor Pannell appeared in the circle for the final two innings, allowing one run on three hits with two strikeouts for her first win of the season (third career win).
• Danielle Blackstun also chipped in a run, the second in her career. 
• With the win, Mizzou improved to 5-2 all-time against the Badgers.

UP NEXT

• The Tigers are back in action Friday for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. The two-game set kicks off at 7:30 p.m., CT against Central Florida and continues at 10 p.m., CT against Cal State Fullerton. Both games will be streamed on FloSoftball ($).

FOLLOW THE TIGERS

• For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team @MizzouSoftball (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).