No. 14/15 Softball Run-Rules North Texas to Conclude Tracy Beard College Classic

DENTON, Texas – The No. 14/15 Missouri softball team (10-0) continued its perfect start to the season with a dominant 11-2 run-rule victory over host, North Texas (3-4), Sunday at Lovelace Stadium. 

Mizzou capped the 2024 Tracy Beard College Classic with a 5-0 mark.

The 10-0 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. 

The game started as a pitcher’s duel, with both Laurin Krings (5-0, W) and McKenzie Wagoner (1-1, L) keeping the opposing offenses at bay through the first two innings. 

The Tigers then broke the tie with a four-run third. Alex Honnold doubled to left center to score Kayley Lenger before Julia Crenshaw followed with a two-run double. 

Maddie Gallagher capped the scoring with an RBI base hit down the left field line. 

The onslaught continued in the fourth inning as the Tigers tacked on seven runs. Madison Walker doubled after Stefania Abruscato was hit by a pitch. Abruscato then scored on a Jenna Laird single. 

Kara Daly and Gallagher then drew consecutive RBI bases-loaded walks to set the stage for Katie Chester’s grand slam that increased the Mizzou edge to 11-0.  

Chester, a sophomore from Liberty, Missouri, knocked her first career grand slam Sunday.

North Texas cut into the Missouri lead with a two-run homer from Saleen Donohoe in the fifth. 

Marissa McCann and Cierra Harrison combined to close out the game, relieving Krings who pitched three shutout innings. 

Krings surrendered just a walk to go with three strikeouts for her fifth win (5-0) of the season. 

NOTES

• Jenna Laird and Madison Walker (double) each went 2-for-3 Sunday. Laird scored twice to go with an RBI. Walker added a run. 
• Jenna Laird extended her reached base streak to 10 games (four-game hitting streak). 
• Katie Chester knocked her first career grand slam Sunday. It marked the first Tigers grand slam since Kara Daly notched one on Feb. 23, 2023, against Cal Poly. 
• The home run was Katie Chester’s second of the season (fifth in her career).
• Katie Chester finished Sunday with a career-best four RBI, going 1-for-3 with a run.
• Maddie Gallagher recorded her 101st career hit, going 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run.   
• Julia Crenshaw chipped in two RBI, going 1-for-3 with a double and a run. 
• Kayley Lenger matched a career-best two runs scored.
• Laurin Krings was dominant in the circle for Missouri, throwing three shutout innings, surrendering just a walk to go with three strikeouts.
• Laurin Krings improved to 5-0 in 2024, notching her second win of the weekend. She registered three strikeouts in each game this weekend at the 2024 Tracy Beard College Classic.
• Marissa McCann made her first appearance of the weekend in Texas, pitching 1.2 innings in relief, allowing two runs on three hits with a strikeout.
• Cierra Harrison utilized just one pitch to wrap the game, coming on in relief of McCann with two outs in the fifth. 
• Mizzou picked up its third run-rule win of the 2024 season. 
• Missouri outscored North Texas, 21-2, over the two games with the host team at the Tracy Beard College Classic.
• Mizzou capped the 2024 Tracy Beard College Classic with a 5-0 mark.
• The 10-0 start to the 2024 season is the best start for Mizzou since the Tigers opened the 2009 campaign 12-0 en route to a 50-12 finish. 

LOOKING AHEAD  

• Missouri next treks to Cathedral City, California, for the 2024 Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Feb. 22-24. The Tigers will face San Diego State, Wisconsin, Central Florida, California State Fullerton, and Baylor over the tournament. 

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