No. 24/23 Softball Split Opening Day of Oklahoma State/Tulsa Invitational

STILLWATER, Okla. – The No. 24/23 University of Missouri Softball program (13-5) split its opening day of the 2023 Oklahoma State/Tulsa Invitational Friday at Cowgirl Stadium. The Tigers downed Maine (4-7), 7-1, before dropping a 6-3 decision to No. 3/3 Oklahoma State (15-1) in the clash of top-25 institutions. 

No. 24/23 Missouri 7, Maine 1

Mizzou opened the 2023 Oklahoma State/Tulsa Invitational with a 7-1 victory over Maine. 

After the Black Bears took an early advantage in the first, the Tigers responded with six unanswered runs to claim the win. 

Mizzou posted three runs in the second and fifth innings, respectively, before adding its final run in the sixth. 

Maddie Snider, a sophomore from Columbia, Missouri, had a career-best matching day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI. Snider also smashed her first career home run in the contest. 

After consecutive Mizzou walks, Snider singled up the middle to score Payton Jackson to even the game at 1-1 in the second.

Jenna Laird followed suit, adding a RBI single of her own to make the advantage 3-1. 

Kara Daly then commenced the fifth with a walk before being lifted for pinch runner Hannah McGivern. McGivern would then steal second and touch home on a Jackson single to right. 

Jackson then stole second to set the stage for Snider’s first career round tripper which made the lead 6-1. 

Daly completed the Tigers scoring, earning an RBI on a groundout. 

Cierra Harrison improved to 4-0 in the circle, earning her first career complete-game win. After allowing a first inning run, Harrison settled in, allowing just two more hits (one run on three hits Friday) the rest of the way to go with seven total strikeouts. 

Harrison, a freshman from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, has punched out seven or more batters in each of her four wins this season. 

NOTES

• Jenna Laird (2-for-3, 2 RBI) and Maddie Snider (2-for-3, 3 RBI) each compiled two hits and combined to total five RBI.
• Maddie Snider matched a career-best two hits and three RBI to go with her first career home run as a Tiger. 
• Alex Honnold, Chantice Phillips, and Payton Jackson each added hits. 
• Chantice Phillips returned to the starting lineup after missing time due to injury. She started at designated player. 
• Cierra Harrison notched the win, improving to 4-0 in 2023. Harrison allowed just one run on three hits to go with seven strikeouts and a walk for her first career complete game. 
• Cierra Harrison has punched out seven or more batters in each of her four wins this season. She has seven strikeouts on three occasions and had a career-high eight against Butler (Feb. 18). 

No. 24/23 Missouri 3, No. 3/3 Oklahoma State 6

In the night cap with No. 3/3 Oklahoma State, No. 24/23 Mizzou took an early 1-0 lead but couldn’t complete the comeback, falling to the Cowgirls, 6-3.

Alex Honnold put the Tigers on the board early with a solo shot to center in the top of the first. 

Oklahoma State then increased its lead to 6-1 with consecutive three-run frames in the fourth and the fifth. 

Katelynn Carwile reached on a RBI fielder’s choice before Chyenne Factor added a RBI single to put the OSU edge at 3-1. 

The Tigers limited the damage with an inning-ending double play. Honnold caught a fly ball in center before gunning down the advancing runner at home. 

Micaela Wark then knocked a three-run double in the fifth to push the Cowgirl margin to 6-1.

Julia Crenshaw cut the deficit in half (6-3) with a two-run homer to right center in the sixth. 

Kelly Maxwell earned the win for Oklahoma State, limiting the Tigers to three runs on three hits in the complete game. Maxwell registered 12 strikeouts with two walks. 

NOTES

• Julia Crenshaw paced Mizzou with two hits (2-for-3) to go with two RBI and a run. 
• Julia Crenshaw posted her sixth home run of the campaign along with a double (seventh in 2023).
• Alex Honnold added her fifth home run in 2023. 
• Jenna Laird also scored for the Tigers. 
• Laurin Krings started for Mizzou, allowing three runs on three hits with a walk and two strikeouts over 3.1 innings in the loss. 
• Jordan Weber came on in relief, giving up three runs on two hits with a walk.
• Emma Nichols made her first appearance of the season out of the bullpen. She let up just one hit over an inning of work. 
• The Tigers three hits matches a season low.