No. 11/12 Softball Opens SEC Tournament Wednesday as Fifth Seed

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 11/12 University of Missouri softball team (40-14, 13-11 SEC) will open postseason play this week, competing as the fifth at the 2024 SEC Tournament in Auburn, Alabama.

The fifth-seeded Tigers will face the play-in game winner of No. 12 seed Kentucky and No. 13 Ole Miss Wednesday. The Tigers take the field in the second game of the day (35 minutes following game two at 10 a.m., CT, our guestimate is 12:30/1 p.m., CT).

Mizzou’s first SEC Tournament game Wednesday will be broadcasted on SEC Network with Kevin Brown (play-by-play), Amanda Scarborough (analyst) and Alyssa Lang (reporter) on the broadcast.

The 2024 SEC Tournament is slated for May 7-11 at Jane B. Moore Field in Auburn, Alabama.

Mizzou was ranked in all four of Week 13’s polls this week after first appearing following week one (Feb. 13). The Tigers enter the week #11 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll, and #12 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll. Mizzou is also #10 in D1Softball and #8 in Softball America polls, respectively.

Missouri enters the SEC Tournament after wrapping its regular season with a perfect weekend at South Carolina, marking the Tigers’ first SEC series sweep since sweeping Texas A&M April 29-May 1, 2022.

With the trio of wins, Mizzou also recorded its 40th victory of the season, and have now reached 40 or more wins twice under head coach Larissa Anderson (finished 42-17 in 2021). Missouri’s 13 SEC wins in the 2024 campaign are the most since 15 in 2021.

SCHEDULE

• No. 11/12 – Fifth Seed Missouri vs. the winner of 12 Seed Kentucky/13 Seed Ole Miss | Wednesday, May 8 | First Pitch 35 minutes following game two at 10 a.m., CT | Jane B. Moore Field

GAME 3 of the SEC Tournament

Location: Auburn, Alabama (Jane B. Moore Field)

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Live Video: SEC Network

Game Notes: Mizzou

Twitter: @MizzouSoftball

KENTUCKY SERIES HISTORY

• Mizzou trails in the all-time series with Kentucky, 12-13.
• The two teams last faced off in the 2023 campaign, as the Tigers fell in three-straight contests to the Wildcats (March 10-12).
• The pair also met in Lexington, Kentucky, in 2022, as Missouri pulled off a perfect weekend, besting the Wildcats in three-straight games to take the series April 23-25 (13-0, five innings, 8-7, 9-1, five innings).
• Mizzou took another three games off Kentucky in 2019, as the Tigers secured another series sweep (March 22-24).
• Head coach Larissa Anderson is 6-3 against the Wildcats in her career.

OLE MISS SERIES HISTORY

• Mizzou leads the all-time series with Ole Miss, 15-10.
• Last season, the Tigers took a game off the Rebels, besting Ole Miss 8-3 (April 15). Missouri then dropped the following two games in the series (7-6 and 7-5 loss).
• During the 2022 campaign, Missouri fell in a three-game series with the Rebels on March 25-27 (5-1 loss, 5-3 loss, 5-1 loss).
• The Tigers picked up a win over Ole Miss in FAU’s Strike Out Cancer Tournament in 2021, defeating the Rebels 6-2 (Feb. 20).
• Mizzou added another three wins against Ole Miss to its resume in 2020, sweeping the Rebels for a perfect weekend (Mar. 6-8).
• Head coach Larissa Anderson is 6-7 against Ole Miss in her career.
• Assistant coach Molly Jacobsen McCargar pitched at Ole Miss from 2019-20 after transferring from Des Moines Area Community College (2017-18). She earned NFCA Second Team All-South Region and All-SEC Second Team honors. McCargar tallied 19 wins, five saves and 230 strikeouts with a 2.53 ERA over two seasons.

SEC Tournament History

• Mizzou is 8-9 all-time in the SEC Tournament.
• The Tigers went 1-1 in the 2023 SEC Tournament, as Missouri beat Mississippi State, 3-1, May 9, in the 12-13 seed play-in matchup.
• Mizzou then fell to No. 14/13 and fifth seeded Alabama 7-2, in the second day of the 2023 SEC Tournament May 11 at Bogle Park in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
• Mizzou’s 2024 fifth seed is the highest seeding since being the four seed in 2021. The Tigers highest seed in the SEC Tournament is third in both 2013 and 2014.
• Missouri has finished as the SEC Tournament runner-up twice in 2013 (three seed) and most recently 2022 (seven seed).
• With a victory over the winner of 12 Seed Kentucky/13 Seed Ole Miss, Mizzou would advance to Game 7 of the tourney on Thursday to face fourth seeded Arkansas. That contest is slated to begin 35 minutes after Game 6, which is set for 10 a.m.

MISSOURI AGAINST THE REST OF THE TOURNAMENT FIELD

• 1. Tennessee (40-9, 19-5 SEC) – SEC Regular-Season Champions

Tennessee leads the all-time series with Mizzou, 15-8, after sweeping the 2024 series in Knoxville, Tennessee. Head coach Larissa Anderson is 4-8 in her career against the Lady Vols.

• 2. Florida (43-12, 17-7 SEC)

Florida leads the all-time series with Mizzou, 18-8. Missouri took two of three on the Gators in Columbia, Missouri, this season. MU picked up its first series win over Florida since 2014 (April 25-27, 2-1). Head coach Larissa Anderson is 4-7 against the Gators in her career.

• 3. Texas A&M (39-12, 15-9 SEC)

Mizzou is 35-42 all-time against Texas A&M. The two squads didn’t face each other in 2024. Missouri took one of three in 2023 in College Station, Texas. Head coach Larissa Anderson is 7-2 against the Aggies.

• 4. Arkansas (36-15, 14-10 SEC)

MU leads the all-time series with Arkansas, 17-13. Missouri took one of three in Fayetteville, Arkansas, during the 2024 regular season. The Tigers run-ruled the Razorbacks, 12-3, in five innings in game two. Head coach Larissa Anderson is 5-5 against Arkansas.

• 6. Mississippi State (33-17, 12-12 SEC)

Mizzou leads the all-time series against the Bulldogs, 14-10, after taking two of three in Columbia, Missouri, this season. Head coach Larissa Anderson is 7-6 against Mississippi State.

• 7. Georgia (38-15, 12-12 SEC)

Mizzou dropped to 11-16 in the all-time series against the Bulldogs, as Georgia secured two of three in the regular-season series in Athens, Georgia. Larissa Anderson is 5-7 vs. Georgia in her career as head coach of the Tigers.

• 8. LSU (38-14, 12-12)

Mizzou won its series with then No. 2/3 LSU, 2-1, March 22-24 in Columbia, Missouri. Prior to this year’s 2024 series with LSU, Missouri previously had picked up two of three wins over the then No. 3 LSU Tigers, April 25-27, 2015, in Columbia, Missouri. Missouri is 13-19 all-time against LSU. Head coach Larissa Anderson is 5-7 in her career against LSU.

• 9. Alabama (33-16, 10-14 SEC)

Alabama leads the all-time series with Mizzou, 20-11. The two teams didn’t face off in 2024. Missouri took one of three in 2023, including an 11-3 run-rule win in five innings. Head coach Larissa Anderson is 3-8 against the Crimson Tide in her career.

• 10. Auburn (27-18-1, 9-15 SEC)

Mizzou took the 2024 series on Auburn, winning two of three over the Tigers’ SEC Opening Weekend. Mizzou and Auburn are tied at 13-13 in the all-time series. Head coach Larissa Anderson is 5-6 against Auburn in her career.

• 11. South Carolina (33-21, 8-16 SEC)

Mizzou swept South Carolina over the final regular-season series in Columbia, South Carolina. Mizzou is 17-9 versus South Carolina all-time. Larissa Anderson is 11-4 against the Gamecocks in her coaching career.

SOUTH CAROLINA RECAP

• Mizzou secured its first SEC series sweep in 2024 over South Carolina, pulling off a perfect 3-0 mark this past weekend in Columbia, South Carolina.
• The Tigers opened the weekend with their third SEC shutout of the season, downing the Gamecocks 2-0. Mizzou then picked up a 4-2-win Saturday, before closing the weekend with a 5-2 10-inning thriller.
• The trio of victories marks the Tigers’ first conference sweep since sweeping Texas A&M April 29-May 1, 2022.
• After the weekend, Mizzou has now earned 40 wins this season, officially reaching 40-plus wins twice under head coach Larissa Anderson (finished at 42-17 in 2021). Mizzou last reached 40 wins before postseason play (SEC Tournament & NCAA Tournament) in 2014 (43-18).
• Missouri’s 13 SEC wins in the 2024 campaign are the most since 15 in 2021.
• Laurin Krings improved to 12-7 in 2024, after pitching five shutout innings, surrendering just three hits and a walk to go with a trio of strikeouts in Mizzou’s opening win over South Carolina (May 3).
• Krings has officially recorded a punchout in each of her last 54 appearances.
• Additionally, five Tigers posted hits including a double from Jenna Laird, marking her 10th of the season (May 3).
• Freshman Stefania Abruscato went a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate in Saturday’s contest, notching a career-best matching three hits (May 4). The freshman has now reached base safely in six straight games.
• Kayley Lenger picked up her SEC-leading 18th HBP in Saturday’s victory (May 4).
• Taylor Pannell also recorded her NCAA-leading 12th save (sixth in SEC play) of the season (May 4).
• Jenna Laird also had a productive day, finishing game two 2-for-4 with two singles, two stolen bases and a run scored. She leads Mizzou with 16 stolen bases in 2024 and is tied for seventh in Mizzou program history with 80 over her career (May 4).
• Abby Hay registered her third home run of the season to propel Mizzou to its extra innings victory Sunday, going 1-for-5 with three RBI and a run (May 5).
• Alex Honnold extended her reached base streak to 10 games Sunday, notching a single (1-for-5, one run and a stolen base).
• Kara Daly blasted her seventh home run of the season, going 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run. Sunday marked Daly’s 30th career homer at Mizzou.
• Taylor Pannell, the NCAA’s saves leader, pitched a career-best four innings, allowing just one hit and two walks (0 runs) in the series finale. She also tallied a personal-best four strikeouts in the victory, improving to 2-1 in 2024.

QUICK HITTERS

• The Tigers head into the SEC Tournament with a 40-14 record and 13-11 SEC mark.
• Missouri has surpassed both its overall win (35) total and SEC win total (7) from 2023.
• Missouri has now registered 40-plus wins twice under head coach Larissa Anderson, after the Tigers finished at 42-17 in 2021.
• Missouri’s 13 SEC wins in the 2024 campaign are the most since 15 in 2021.
• Mizzou was ranked in all four of Week 13’s polls this week after first appearing following week one (Feb. 13). The Tigers enter the week #11 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll, and #12 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll. Mizzou is also #10 in D1Softball and #8 in Softball America polls, respectively.
• Alex Honnold paces Mizzou hitting (.359) with an SEC-leading, Mizzou-record 20 doubles (sixth in NCAA) in 2024. She also has notched 61 hits (sixth in NCAA), 33 RBI, five homers, two triples for a .588 slugging percentage.
• Jenna Laird (58 hits, 48 runs, 10 doubles, 16 stolen bases) is second on Mizzou with a .343 batting average.
• Freshman Abby Hay is third on Mizzou with a .328 batting average (20 hits, three doubles, three homers, 14 RBI, .557 SLG%).
• Maddie Gallagher (.305, 43 hits, 33 RBI, 12 doubles) round out the four Tigers hitting over .300 in 2024. Laird paces Mizzou with 19 multi-hit games while Gallagher and Katie Chester top the team with eight multi-RBI games.
• Alex Honnold‘s total career-doubles sits at 49, which is sixth in Mizzou program history.
• Alex Honnold ranks second on the Tigers with 17 multi-hit games. She ranks sixth in the SEC for hits (61).
• Alex Honnold has reached base in 10-straight games while Stefania Abruscato is on a six-game reached base streak. Kara Daly, Kayley Lenger, Abby Hay, and Julia Crenshaw have all reached base in each of the last three games.
• Laurin Krings has 52 career wins which ranks tenth in Mizzou program history for wins.
• Laurin Krings has recorded a punchout in each of her last 55 appearances as she surpassed 100 strikeouts this season (112, 13th in the SEC). She became the first pitcher on Mizzou’s staff to reach 100 strikeouts in 2024.
• Laurin Krings ranks in the top-10 in Mizzou program history for appearances (126, eighth), innings pitched (549.2, ninth), strikeouts (564, sixth) and wins (52, 10th).
• Freshman pitcher Marissa McCann ranks ninth in the SEC with a 1.82 ERA followed by Cierra Harrison (2.09, 13th). Harrison is also 10th in the league with three shutouts and 13th for wins (13).
• Kayley Lenger is first in the SEC with 18 HBP (seventh in the NCAA).
• Closer Taylor Pannell ranks first in both the SEC and in the nation with 12 saves in 2024. She is also the NCAA active leader in the category with 18.
• Kara Daly paces Mizzou with seven home runs in 2024. The junior third baseman surpassed 100 career RBI over the South Carolina series.
• Jenna Laird ranks in the top 10 in Mizzou program history for career batting average (.351, fifth), at bats (752, fourth), hits (264, fifth), doubles (46, eighth), runs (190, fifth) and stolen bases (80, seventh).
• The one-two punch of Laurin Krings and Cierra Harrison have combined for 25 wins in the circle with 12-7 and 13-3 records, respectively. The duo has also gone the distance in the circle 12 times (eight and four complete games, respectively).
• Lilly Whitten (5-0, 1.18 ERA), Marissa McCann (8-3, 1.82 ERA) and Taylor Pannell (2-1, 12 saves, 0.82 ERA) have also picked up wins for Mizzou in 2024.
• Jenna Laird is 10 runs away from 200 in her career. Alex Honnold is three hits away from 200 at Mizzou.
• Katie Chester is batting .400 as a pinch hitter in 2024.
• Head coach Larissa Anderson registered her 200th win at the helm of Mizzou (206-111) during the midweek at Drake (4/10). In her sixth season at Missouri, Anderson holds a career record of 339-184-1 over 10 career seasons.

2023 RECAP

• Mizzou made its 16th-straight NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023.
• The Tigers finished the 2023 season with a 35-26 mark, including a 7-17 in SEC play. With its 2023 record, Missouri has registered 35 wins in four of the last five seasons (2020 COVID-19 shortened season was the only time the Tigers didn’t meet the threshold in that span).
• During the 2023 campaign, Missouri totaled 51 home runs, while logging 75 doubles to go with 310 runs as a team.
• On the dirt, Mizzou tallied a .978 fielding percentage. The clip ranks second in program history, after the Tigers’ surpassed their previous .976 fielding percentage from 2022.

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