No. 23 Softball Secures 2023 FIU Panther Invitational Tournament Championship with 6-4 Win over Pittsburgh Sunday

MIAMI – The No. 23 Missouri Softball program (9-2) captured the 2023 FIU Panther Invitational Tournament Championship after they overcame Pittsburgh (6-3), 6-4, Sunday afternoon at Felsberg Field at the FIU Softball Stadium.

With the victory, Mizzou extended its win streak to six games after a perfect 5-0 weekend at the Invitational. 

Trailing 4-1, the Tigers scored five unanswered runs to complete the comeback.

Alex Honnold provided Missouri a 1-0 edge with a first-pitch homer to left center in the bottom of the first. 

The Panthers responded with a four-run second frame to pull ahead, 4-1. 

Kylie Griggs hit a RBI single before scoring on a double from Yvonne Whaley.

Bailey Drapola then connected on a two-run home run to left.

The Tigers fought back in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs on two hits. 

Addie Lange opened the inning with a walk before being lifted for pinch runner Kayley Lenger. Lenger advanced to second on a Maddie Snider base hit to left. 

Honnold then ripped a double to left center to score Lenger and Snider to cut the deficit to one run (4-3). 

Julia Crenshaw was plunked by a pitch and advanced to second on a wild pitch as Honnold stole third. 

Kara Daly then came aboard on a Panthers error, which brough Honnold home and evened the game at 4-4. 

Crenshaw then scored on a wild pitch to put the Tigers up 5-4. 

Missouri would increase the lead to 6-4 on a Jenna Laird RBI single to right. Lange would get hit by a pitch and head to second on a Snider base hit to set the table for Laird’s knock.

Starter Laurin Krings improved to 3-0 in 2023. She let up four runs on eight hits with a walk to go with three strikeouts. 

NOTES

• Alex Honnold paced the Tigers with a season-best matching three hits (3-for-4, double and home run) with three RBI, two runs and a stolen base. 
• For Alex Honnold, the homer is her third of the season which is a new career high. She previously had two in 2022. 
• Maddie Snider registered a career-best matching two hits (2-for-3) with a run. She notched a hit in every Panther Invitational game this weekend and made six starts this week (UCF and Panther Invitational) in the outfield. 
• Jenna Laird was 1-for-4 with a RBI.
• Maddie Snider, Julia Crenshaw, Addie Lange, and Kayley Lenger all scored in the win. 
• Laurin Krings improved to 3-0 in the circle with the win. She is now 31-12 in her career at Missouri.
• Missouri picked up two wins over Pittsburgh, two wins over Butler, and a win over host, FIU, this weekend in Miami at the Panther Invitational.
• Sunday’s game with Pittsburgh was shortened to six innings due to Missouri travel arrangements. 

UP NEXT

• The No. 23 Tigers next head to Palm Springs, California, for the Mary Nutter Cathedral City Collegiate Classic, its third non-conference tournament of the season. The Tigers will face Cal Poly, BYU, 19/24 Oregon State, 24/22 Oregon, and Long Beach State over the three-day tournament Feb. 23-25. 

FOLLOW THE TIGERS

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