No. 14/13 Softball Wraps Tournament Play at Big Red Invitational

COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 14/13 University of Missouri softball program (13-2) concludes nonconference tournament play, heading to Lincoln, Nebraska, for the 2024 Big Red Invitational Saturday and Sunday. 

The Tigers will face tournament host, Nebraska (8-6), and Wichita State (7-3), twice each over the two-day tournament held at Bowlin Stadium. 

Mizzou open’s the first day of the Invitational Saturday against Wichita State at 11 a.m., CT before taking on Nebraska at 4 p.m., CT.

The second day of play features rematches against Wichita State (11 a.m., CT) and then the Cornhuskers (4 p.m., CT) on Sunday. 

Both of Mizzou’s games against Nebraska will be streamed on Big Ten Network+.  

Mizzou is ranked in all four polls heading into the weekend after first appearing following week one (Feb. 13). The Tigers enter the fourth week of the season #14 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll, and #13 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll. Mizzou is also #13 and #15 in the Softball America and D1Softball polls, respectively.

SCHEDULE

• #14/13 Missouri vs. Wichita State, Saturday, March 2 at 11 a.m., CT 
• #14/13 Missouri vs. Nebraska, Saturday, March 2 at 4 p.m., CT 
• #14/13 Missouri vs. Wichita State, Sunday, March 3 at 11 a.m., CT 
• #14/13 Missouri vs. Nebraska, Saturday, March 3 at 1:30 p.m., CT 

2024 BIG RED INVITATIONAL
Location: Lincoln, Neb. (Bowlin Stadium)

Live Stats: Wichita State (SAT) | Nebraska (SAT)

Wichita State (SUN) | Nebraska (SUN)

Live Video: Big Ten Network+ (Nebraska Games)

Twitter: @MizzouSoftball
Notes: Missouri

SERIES HISTORY

• Nebraska leads Missouri in the all-time series, 54-31. Head coach Larissa Anderson is 1-1 against the Cornhuskers.
• In their last meeting at the 2020 Mizzou Tournament in Columbia, Missouri, the two teams split the pair of matchups. Missouri beat the Cornhuskers, 7-1, on Feb. 29, before falling to Nebraska, 10-2, on March 1. 
• The Tigers also last took on Wichita State at the 2020 Mizzou Tournament, where they beat the Shockers in back-to-back games.
• Mizzou claimed a 7-3 victory over Wichita State on Feb. 29, before defeating the Shockers again, 5-4, the following day (March 1). 
• The Tigers lead the all-time series with Wichita State, 24-2. Anderson is 4-0 against the Shockers.

2024 MARY NUTTER COLLEGIATE CLASSIC RECAP

• Missouri finished the 2024 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic with a 3-2 mark, including wins over Wisconsin, Central Florida, and California State Fullerton. 
• Alex Honnold led the way with nine hits, including four doubles, to finish with a .500 batting average (.722 slugging percentage, .474 on-base percentage). She is currently on a seven-game hitting streak.
• Leadoff hitter Jenna Laird clocked a pair of doubles, going 7-for-16 at the plate (.438 batting average, .563 slugging percentage, .526 on-base percentage). 
• Freshman first baseman Madison Walker batted .357 over the tournament.  
• Maddie Gallagher extended her reached base streak to nine games, finishing the tournament with a .375 on-base percentage. The senior second baseman is hitting .333 in 2024 with three doubles and seven RBI. 
• Mya Dodge is six runs away from 100 in her collegiate career. 

HEY HONNOLD!!

• Alex Honnold paced Mizzou at the 2024 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, batting .500 with a .722 slugging percentage, .474 on-base percentage and four doubles. Honnold notched a hit in each of the five games to extend her hitting streak to seven games.
• She registered a career-best matching 4-for-4 day at the plate in the victory over Central Florida. It marked her second time in her collegiate career, she had gone 4-for-4. Honnold belted a personal-best matching two doubles (third time in her career) to go with two runs, two stolen bases and an RBI.
• She wrapped the second day of the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, with another multi-hit game (sixth of the season), going 2-for-3 with a double against Cal State Fullerton. Honnold notched four doubles over three consecutive games in California. 
• The senior center fielder from West Des Moines, Iowa, is batting .408 in 2024 with 11 RBI, eight doubles and a homer. She is slugging .633. 
• Honnold ranks fourth in the country for doubles (first in the SEC, 0.53 doubles per game). 
• She is currently at 92 career RBI and is eight away from 100 as a Tiger. 

LAIRD TIME 

• Jenna Laird logged an impressive weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, batting .438 with two doubles and a .563 slugging percentage. 
• She notched two hits in three of the five games at this past weekend’s tournament. 
• Against Wisconsin on Feb. 22, Laird posted her third-straight game with two hits, going 2-for-4.
• Laird also scored twice for Mizzou against UCF (Feb. 23). She has now scored in 13 of 15 games this season. 
• Laird wrapped the weekend on Feb. 24 with a 2-for-4 performance at the plate against Baylor, marking her team-high sixth multi-hit game of the season. She has scored two or more times in six games (six of 15, 40 percent) this season. 
• The senior from East Meadow, New York, ranks 16th (fourth in the SEC) in the NCAA with 1.33 runs per game. 
• Laird currently has 96 career RBI and is four away from 100.

LENGER HOME RUN 

• Kayley Lenger launched her first career home run against San Diego State on Feb. 22, a sixth-inning solo shot to cut the deficit to 3-2. 
• The sophomore right fielder/utility player has appeared in 11 games (eight starts) this season with eight runs, six RBI and five hits after seeing an extended role to commence 2024.  

CHESTER WITH ANOTHER LONG BALL 

• Pinch hitter Katie Chester connected on her third long ball of the season against Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 23; a three-run shot which would prove to be the game-winner for Mizzou. She finished with three RBI and a run.
• With the round-tripper, Chester has now matched her home run total from 2023.
• The sophomore has started in nine games (12 appearances) for the Tigers this season, hitting .308 with 11 RBI and a .692 slugging percentage.

FIRST CAREER WIN FOR MCCANN 

• Freshman Marissa McCann earned her first career collegiate win, allowing just two hits and no runs over six innings with a personal-best matching five strikeouts against Cal State Fullerton on Feb. 23.
• The Surprise, Arizona, native’s, six innings pitched also set a career high.

PITCHING STAFF

• Cierra Harrison recorded nine strikeouts over 8.2 innings, while allowing just nine hits and one earned run this past weekend at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. 
• Harrison pitched five innings against Wisconsin, allowing just four hits and a run with six strikeouts for the no decision. She also started against Baylor, allowing no earned runs on four hits with three Ks. 
• The sophomore from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, has registered 94 strikeouts in her career and is knocking on the door of 100 at Mizzou. 
• Harrison is 4-0 in 2024, boasting a 0.23 ERA over 30 innings with 22 strikeouts. She ranks seventh in the NCAA for ERA.
• Laurin Krings made a trio of appearances over the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic.
• She registered seven strikeouts over six innings against San Diego State. 
• Krings also only allowed one earned run in her two starts against San Diego State and Central Florida.
• At the tournament, Krings held opponents to a .193 batting average with 14 strikeouts across 15.2 innings pitched. 
• The senior from Loveland, Colorado, leads Mizzou with a 6-2 mark in 2024 with five complete games and 40 strikeouts over 42.2 innings. Krings ranks ninth in the NCAA for wins. 
• She has registered 492 strikeouts over her career and is eight away from 500 as a Tiger. 
• Closer Taylor Pannell picked up her first win of the campaign along with her second save in 2024, appearing in three games at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. 
• Pannell pitched the final two innings in relief against Wisconsin, allowing just one run on three hits with a pair of strikeouts. She then earned the save against Cal State Fullerton. 
• Pannell ranks 11th in the NCAA for saves (2). 

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  

• Missouri next heads to Kansas City, Missouri, for a midweek against Kansas City at 4 p.m., CT, on Wednesday, March 6. The Tigers will then host Auburn for their SEC and Home Opening weekend March 8-10 at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.