No. 15/16 Softball Tops Kansas, 3-2, in Wednesday Border Showdown

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The No. 15/16 University of Missouri softball team (23-6, 2-4 SEC) secured a Border Showdown victory over rival Kansas (19-8-1, 4-2 Big 12), 3-2, Wednesday at Arrocha Ballpark. 

The Tigers 23-6 start is the best start for Missouri since they opened the 2013 season 23-3 en route to a 38-14 finish. 

Mizzou has now beat their border rival each of the past two seasons. 

Missouri was able to get on the board first in the top of the second Wednesday after junior Maddie Gallagher singled and advanced to second on a Kansas error. From there, freshman Madison Walker, an Olathe, Kansas, native, drove in the run on a single to right field, her 13th RBI of the year. 

Sophomore Cierra Harrison kept the Jayhawks quiet, giving up zero runs on three hits and striking out two batters over four innings of work for the victory. With the win, she improved to 9-1 in 2024. 

The Tigers would strike again in the top of the fourth as pinch runner Claire Cahalan scored on a groundout from Jenna Laird. Alex Honnold then drove in sophomore Kayley Lenger on a double to left field, her 13th double and 20th RBI on the year, respectively. 

With Mizzou up 3-0, the Tigers pitching staff would continue to keep Kansas from crossing home plate. Senior Laurin Krings came on in relief of Harrison in the fifth inning. Krings allowed zero runs on two hits and recorded three strikeouts over two innings.

Kansas then kept the Tigers off the bags following a pitching change in the fifth. Lizzy Ludwig and Kasey Hamilton would hold Missouri to just one hit over the final three innings. 

The Jayhawks then began to gain some traction in the bottom of the seventh. Olivia Bruno reached on a two-out fielding error that resulted in two runs scoring for the Jayhawks. 

Taylor Pannell then shut the door on Kansas’ late rally, registering a strikeout for her fourth save in 2024. 

NOTES

• Alex Honnold notched her SEC-best 13th double of the season. With the double, she now ranks tied for seventh in Mizzou program history with 42 career doubles. 
• Alex Honnold went 1-for-4 from the plate with an RBI double, notching her 20th RBI on the year. 
• Right fielder Kayley Lenger scored a run and went 2-for-3 against Kansas. It marked her third career-best two-hit game of the season. 
• Cierra Harrison, a Lee’s Summit, Missouri, native, improved to 9-1 in 2024 after holding Kansas to no runs on three hits and recording two strikeouts. 
• Jenna Laird recorded an RBI, her 14th of the year, and a walk in three at-bats.
• Madison Walker, a native of Olathe, Kansas, drove in a run, her 13th RBI on the year, and improved her on base streak to four straight games. 
• Maddie Gallagher went 1-for-3 Wednesday and recorded a run for the Tigers.
• Katie Chester recorded a single in two at-bats for Missouri.
• Laurin Krings notched a trio of strikeouts over two innings of relief work. She surrendered zero runs on two hits out of the pen. 
• Closer Taylor Pannell posted her fourth save in 2024, allowing two runs on two hits with a strikeout. She has now notched a save in each of the last two midweeks with Kansas. 
• Kara Daly extended her reached base streak to six games, with a walk Wednesday.
• Alex Honnold and Jenna Laird each pushed their reached base streaks to three games. 
• Missouri improves to 72-45 in the all-time series against Kansas.
• Head coach Larissa Anderson is now 5-2 in her career against the Jayhawks.

LOOKING AHEAD  

• Mizzou returns to Columbia for a weekend series against No. 2/3 LSU Friday through Sunday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. The three-game series will be available on SEC Network+. 

FOLLOW THE TIGERS

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