No. 11 Softball to Host Southeast Missouri in Wednesday Midweek

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 11 University of Missouri softball team (29-7, 4-5 SEC) host Southeast Missouri (12-20) Wednesday in midweek action, before hitting the road for a weekend series at No. 19 Arkansas.

Wednesday’s midweek is set for 4 p.m., CT at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. Wednesday is Military Appreciation Day at the ballpark. 

Missouri then concludes its week on the road in Fayetteville, Arkansas, facing the Razorbacks (26-9, 5-4 SEC). The three-game series opens on Friday at 5 p.m., CT from Bogle Park. The Tigers continue play on Saturday at noon, followed by a 2 p.m. Sunday finale.

Wednesday’s doubleheader against SEMO will be available on SEC Network+ with Nate Gatter (play-by-play) and Mizzou All-American Brooke Wilmes (analyst) on the broadcast.

Fans can also catch the three-game series with Arkansas on SEC Network (Friday and Sunday, Roy Philpott, and Erin Miller) and SEC Network+ (Saturday, Dorian Craft and Hannah McEwan).   

Mizzou was ranked #11 in all four of this week’s polls after first appearing following week one (Feb. 13).

The Tigers enter the week after putting together a perfect 4-0 weekend over their East Coast Spring Break Trip, claiming key victories over Hofstra, George Mason, Fordham, and Villanova.

WEEK SCHEDULE

• #11 Missouri vs. Southeast Missouri, Wednesday, April 3 at 4 p.m., CT | Mizzou Softball Stadium
• #11 Missouri at #19 Arkansas, Friday, April 5 at 5 p.m., CT | Bogle Park
• #11 Missouri at #19 Arkansas, Saturday, April 6 at noon, CT | Bogle Park
• #11 Missouri at #19 Arkansas, Sunday, April 7 at 2 p.m., CT | Bogle Park

AGAINST SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE

Location: Columbia, Missouri (Mizzou Softball Stadium)

Live Stats: StatBroadcast

Live Video: SEC Network+

Twitter: @MizzouSoftball

Game Notes: Mizzou | SEMO

AT ARKANSAS

Location: Fayetteville, Arkansas (Bogle Park)

Live Stats: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3

Live Video: SEC Network | Friday | Sunday

SEC Network+ | Saturday

Twitter: @MizzouSoftball

SEMO SERIES HISTORY

• Mizzou leads the all-time series with SEMO, 28-4.
• Head coach Larissa Anderson is 2-0 against the Redhawks in her career.
• Mizzou last faced SEMO in 2019, taking a pair of games off the Redhawks at home in a doubleheader. The Tigers bested SEMO, 4-3 (April 23), before closing the series with a 4-1 victory (April 23).

ARKANSAS SERIES HISTORY

• Mizzou leads the all-time series with Arkansas, 16-11.
• Head coach Larissa Anderson is 4-3 against the Razorbacks in her career.
• The pair last met during the 2023 campaign, as the Tigers took two games off the Razorbacks (9-0 loss, 4-3 win, 7-6 win) to claim the series May 5-7 in Columbia, Missouri.
• Missouri last made the trip to Fayetteville, Arkansas, in 2021. The Tigers opened their time at Bogle Park with a pair of victories (6-3 win, 10-1 win) before dropping the final contest, 8-4 (April 24-26).

EAST COAST RECAP

• Missouri completed a perfect 4-0 weekend out East, taking games off Fordham, Hofstra, George Mason, and Villanova (Mar. 26-30).
• Mizzou opened the weekend with a commanding 20-0 win (five innings) over Fordham.
• The Tigers then clinched a nine-inning thriller, defeating Hofstra 2-1, followed by another victory over George Mason (11-2 in six innings).
• Missouri wrapped its trip with a 7-0 win over Villanova to round out its undefeated weekend.
• With the perfect performance, Mizzou improved to 29-7 (4-5 SEC) on the year.
• Mya Dodge (3-for-3) helped propel Mizzou in its victory over Fordham, recording her first game with two home runs as a Tiger.
• Abby Hay (1-for-1) contributed a career-high four RBI in the contest with her first career double.
• Dodge also added a career-best tying three doubles against George Mason with a season-best matching 3-for-3 performance at the plate.
• In the circle, Cierra Harrison retired 13 straight batters while only giving up one hit in 4.2 innings of work against Fordham.
• Lilly Whitten wrapped the contest for Mizzou, securing the final out in the fifth against Fordham, marking her fifth appearance in 2024.
• Marissa McCann also led the way for the Tigers in their win over Hofstra, chipping in a career-high five strikeouts over five innings of work. McCann allowed just a single run the entire contest.
• Laurin Krings started against Hofstra, giving up no runs on three hits over 4.0 innings. She also notched three strikeouts.
• Stefania Abruscato drilled her first career home run in the Tigers victory over Villanova. Abruscato finished 1-for-4 with one run and an RBI.
• Kayley Lenger hit .500 over the week with four runs for second on the team behind Dodge (.583).
• Jenna Laird and Maddie Gallagher both finished the week, batting .385. Laird notched her team-leading 14th multi-hit game in 2024 against Villanova.

DODGE NAMED SEC PLAYER OF THE WEEK

• Mya Dodge, a junior outfielder, paced Mizzou over its East Coast Trip, hitting .583 with three doubles, two homers and 11 RBI. Dodge was named the SEC Player of the Week on Tuesday.
• The junior recorded her first multi-hit game of the season, going 3-for-3 against Fordham, including five RBI (Missouri career-high).
• Dodge also drove in a pair of homers, marking her first game with two home runs as a Tiger. With the offensive performance, Dodge set a season-high three runs scored.
• In Mizzou’s win over George Mason, Dodge logged a season-best matching 3-for-3 performance at the plate. She clocked five RBI and three hits, including a career-best tying three doubles.
• With the feat, Dodge became the first Tiger to record three two-baggers in a contest since Brooke Wilmes achieved the accomplishment in 2017.
• After tabbing two runs against George Mason, Dodge is just one run away from her 100 career runs.

MCCANN NAMED SEC FRESHMAN OF THE WEEK

• Marissa McCann was named the SEC Freshman of the Week for the second-straight week Tuesday.
• McCann notched a 2-0 mark over Mizzou’s East Coast Trip this past week. She allowed just one run on three hits over 8.0 innings for an ERA of 0.88. McCann also notched eight strikeouts over the two outings.
• She tied a career-high with five strikeouts over five innings of work against Hofstra. McCann allowed just one run on one hit with a walk in the extra innings victory.
• McCann also picked up the win in the circle against Villanova, improving to 6-1, with three innings of two-hit shutout softball. She notched three strikeouts in her 12th appearance of the campaign.
• McCann has now posted four straight wins, allowing one run on seven hits over 14.2 innings during that span with nine Ks.
• McCann, a freshman from Surprise, Arizona, has made 12 appearances (four starts) in her freshman season, compiling a 6-1 mark with 27 strikeouts and a save over 39.0 innings. She has also compiled a 2.15 ERA.

GALLY

• Maddie Gallagher saw a productive weekend on offense for Missouri, recording a .385 average over the Tigers’ four-game trip.
• Gallagher notched her sixth multi-RBI game of the season, after putting up a pair of RBIs against Fordham.
• The senior also finished 1-for-4 at the plate against Hofstra, driving in her 22nd run of the year.
• Gallagher continued her tear against George Mason, posting a single in the second inning to mark her fifth-straight game with an RBI.
• With the 2-for-3 performance, Gallagher notched her fifth multi-hit game of the season (third on Mizzou).
• To wrap the weekend against Villanova, the senior added a run, an RBI, and a walk.
• Gallagher also stole a career-best three bases to help secure the Tigers’ win on Saturday.
• She has posted a hit in each of the last four games.

ANDERSON APPROACHING 200 WINS AT MIZZOU

• Head coach Larissa Anderson added four wins to her resume this weekend, officially putting her two wins away from 200 in her career at Mizzou.
• While at the helm of the program the past six seasons, Anderson currently boasts a 198-104 all-time record.
• To commence the 2024 campaign, Anderson recorded her 300th career game in Mizzou’s season opener against No. 13/16 Utah on Feb. 9.
• Overall, Anderson has tabbed an impressive 328-177-1 career mark.

DOUBLES QUEEN

• Alex Honnold is officially just four doubles away from surpassing the single-season (19) Mizzou record. She currently ranks tied for fourth with 16. 
• This past weekend, Honnold clocked a double against Villanova, marking her 16th double of the 2024 campaign. The contest also extended her reached-base streak to five games.
• Against Hofstra, Honnold also put up a 1-for-3 performance, including her second triple of the year, to help secure a Missouri victory.
• Honnold currently leads the SEC in doubles this season (third in NCAA). So far, she has recorded 45 career doubles which ranks seventh in Mizzou program history.
• The senior from West Des Moines, Iowa, leads Mizzou at the plate so far this season, posting a .378 average, with a career-best 16 doubles, 42 hits, 32 runs, 26 RBI and three home runs. Honnold has recorded a .640 slugging percentage, as well as a .455 on-base percentage so far during 2024.

OUR LEADOFF HITTER

• Jenna Laird hit .385 over Missouri’s four-game East Coast trip. On the season, Laird is second on Mizzou with a .374 average so far in 2024.
• The leadoff hitter from East Meadow, New York, paces the Tigers with 12 stolen bases and 39 runs.
• Most recently, Laird led Mizzou against Fordham, tying a season-high three RBI to go with three runs.
• Laird paced Mizzou in Saturday’s victory, going 2-for-3 with a run, an RBI, and a walk against Villanova. This marked her team-leading 14th multi-hit game in 2024.
• Laird also officially extended her reached-base streak to 10 games.

OUR PITCHING STAFF

• The one-two punch of Laurin Krings and Cierra Harrison have combined for 18 wins in the circle with 8-5 and 10-1 records, respectively. The duo has also gone the distance in the circle 11 times (seven and four complete games, respectively).
• Harrison has notched 61 strikeouts in 2024 over 65.2 innings.
• Harrison’s 10 wins are a new career best after she notched eight in 2023.
• She posted her first career no-hitter over Texas A&M-Commerce on Feb. 16 in Denton, Texas.
• Harrison has thrown three complete-game shutouts (four complete games). She limited No. 25/25 Auburn to no runs on five hits with nine strikeouts in her 2024 SEC debut on March 9.
• Krings surpassed 500 career innings pitched against Hofstra, throwing 4.0 innings. She is the 11th Mizzou pitcher in program history to reach the threshold.
• Krings did not allow a hit to the first 12 Auburn batters she faced, recording four strikeouts in that span during the SEC opener on March 8. She also notched her 500th strikeout in her career over the victory.
• She paces Mizzou with 72 strikeouts over 84.1 innings.
• Lilly Whitten (4-0), Marissa McCann (6-1) and Taylor Pannell (1-0, six saves) have also picked up wins for Mizzou in 2024.
• Pannell, a left-hander from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, has picked up six saves in the closer role for Mizzou, which paces the SEC and is second in the NCAA.
• Lilly Whitten pitched five strong innings against George Mason, allowing one run on five hits with six strikeouts.
• Her five innings pitched, and six strikeouts are her most since her first start against South Dakota State on Feb. 17 (eight strikeouts over six innings).

QUICK HITTERS  

• The Tigers head into the week with a 29-7 record and 4-5 SEC mark.
• The Tigers 29-7 record to open the season is the best start for Missouri since the Tigers began the 2013 campaign 23-3 en route to a 38-14 finish. Prior to that, the 2011 Tigers commenced the season 27-3 en route to a 53-10 finish.
• Mizzou was ranked #11 in all four of this week’s polls after first appearing following week one (Feb. 13).
• The Tigers enter the week after putting together a perfect 4-0 week over their East Coast Spring Break Trip, claiming victories over Hofstra, George Mason, Fordham, and Villanova.
• Alex Honnold (.640 slugging percentage, .453 on-base percentage) paces the Tigers at the plate (.378, 32 runs, 26 RBI, 16 doubles, 3 homers) and is one of four Tigers batting over .300. Jenna Laird (.374 batting average, 39 runs, 20 RBI) is second on the team while Maddie Gallagher is third (.319 with eight doubles, 24 RBI, 24 runs). Kayley Lenger is also hitting .313 in the nine-hole (20 runs, 20 hits).
• Alex Honnold is first in the SEC (third in the NCAA) with 16 doubles (0.44 doubles/game). Her 45 career doubles rank seventh in Mizzou program history. She also ranks sixth in the SEC for hits (42).
• Kara Daly is currently on a 13-game reached base streak. Jenna Laird has reached base in each of the last 10 games.
• Kara Daly paces Mizzou with five home runs in 2024. 
• Alex Honnold has registered a team-best hitting streak of 12 games this season.
• Maddie Gallagher has registered a team-best 15 game reached base streak. 
• Closer Taylor Pannell ranks first in the SEC and is second in the nation with six saves in 2024.
• The one-two punch of Laurin Krings and Cierra Harrison have combined for 18 wins in the circle with 8-5 and 10-1 records, respectively. The duo has also gone the distance in the circle 11 times (seven and four complete games, respectively).
• Mya Dodge is one run away from 100 in her collegiate career.
• Laurin Krings is two wins away from 50 in her career at Mizzou. With 51 wins, she will enter the program’s top 10. 
• Krings is the 11th Mizzou player to reach 500 career innings pitched, notching the feat at Hofstra.

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.

LOOKING AHEAD 

• Mizzou heads to Des Moines, Iowa, to face Drake at Blue Field on April 10. First pitch is set for 4 p.m., CT.
• The Tigers then resume SEC play with a weekend series at home against Florida April 12-14.

FOLLOW THE TIGERS

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