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COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri softball program (30-20, 4-14 SEC) treks to College Station, Texas, this weekend to take on No. 25/24 Texas A&M (30-17, 10-11 SEC) for the Tigers final SEC regular-season road trip. Game times are set for 5 p.m., CT in the Friday, Saturday, Sunday series at Davis Diamond.
Friday and Saturday will be streamed on SEC Network+ with Will Johnson and Chelsea Reber on the call. Sunday’s finale will be on SEC Network and feature Kevin Fitzgerald and Danielle Lawrie on the broadcast.
The Tigers are currently on a five-game win streak after completing their regular-season midweek slate with a perfect 8-0 mark at home (9-0 in 2023) this season. The win streak is the longest for Mizzou in 2023 since claiming eight in a row from Feb. 15-23.
Missouri ranks first in the SEC for fielding percentage (.981, eighth in the NCAA) and second for stolen bases (95, 1.90 stolen/game) in 2023. Additionally, the Tigers are second for triples (0.30).
Missouri (30-20, 4-14 SEC)
at Texas A&M (30-17, 10-11 SEC)
Dates: Friday, April 28-Sunday, April 30, 2023
Stadium: Davis Diamond
Location: College Station, Texas
Game Times: 5 p.m., CT Friday | 5 p.m. Saturday | 5 p.m. Sunday
All-Time Series: Texas A&M leads the all-time series, 40-34
Last Meetings: No. 25 Missouri 11, Texas A&M 6 | May 1, 2022 | Columbia, Mo.
No. 25 Missouri 7, Texas A&M 2 | April 30, 2022 | Columbia, Mo.
No. 25 Missouri 7, Texas A&M 5 – Eight Innings | April 29, 2022 | Columbia, Mo.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
Live Video: SEC Network+ Friday | SEC Network+ Saturday | SEC Network Sunday
Live Stats: Friday | Saturday | Sunday
Twitter: @MizzouSoftball
Series History
- Texas A&M leads the all-time series, 40-34, but the Tigers took all three games of the 2022 series in Columbia, Missouri.
- Head coach Larissa Anderson is 6-0 in her career against the Aggies.
- Jenna Laird went 1-for-4 in the opener with a homer on April 29, 2022, in a game that featured seven home runs (three by Hatti Moore).
- Jordan Weber picked up the eight-inning complete game win with eight strikeouts.
- Kara Daly added a two-run homer in game two on April 30, 2022, as Laurin Krings went the distance for the win in the circle (five strikeouts).
- Jenna Laird had a hit in each of the three games in 2022 against Texas A&M.
- Alex Honnold added a RBI double with two walks in the finale (May 1, 2022) as Megan Schumacher picked up the win out of the pen (2.2 innings, five strikeouts).
Mizzou-Texas A&M Connection
Missouri Assistant Coach Jeff Cottrill will face his daughter, Julia Cottrill, this weekend in the series at Texas A&M. Julia Cottrill is the Aggies starting catcher and leads Texas A&M with a .362 batting average with six homers and 29 RBI.
Jeff Cottrill previously spent seven seasons as assistant coach with Oklahoma State. In 2022, he coached Julia Cottrill in her junior season with the Cowgirls.
Tigers Down SIUE to Conclude Midweek Play Undefeated
Thanks to a seven-run first inning, Missouri wrapped regular-season midweek play undefeated after an 8-1 victory over SIUE Tuesday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.
Centerfielder Alex Honnold paced the Tigers at the dish, going 2-for-3 with four RBI while designated player Megan Moll added a career-best 2-for-2 outing with three RBI and two runs. The duo each hit home runs in the win.
Right-handed freshman pitcher Cierra Harrison started in the circle for the Tigers, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts over 3.0 innings. Reliever Megan Schumacher earned the win for Missouri while compiling six strikeouts over the final four innings (no runs on two hits).
Krings Named Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week and SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week
Junior Laurin Krings was named both the Wilson/NFCA Pitcher of the Week and the SEC Co-Pitcher of the Week, the organizations announced Tuesday.
She was stellar in the circle for the Tigers this past week, earning a trio of wins in three appearances. She pitched 15 consecutive scoreless innings (0.00 ERA) this past week with 28 strikeouts (26 over UNT series). Krings registered two complete-game shutout wins, and allowed just four hits and a walk over the week.
Krings opened the week with a 1.0 inning relief appearance against border rival, Kansas (4/19), scattering a hit to go with a pair of strikeouts for the win.
She then registered her third career no hitter (she compiled a perfect game on March 6, 2022) in the opener with North Texas. Krings’ no hitter featured a career-high 17 strikeouts which is a Missouri single-game record for a 7.0 inning game. She punched out 14 of the first 15 batters she faced (13 consecutive strikeouts), while she recorded the other out in the sequence on a sliding catch on a popped-up bunt. April 21’s game was Krings’ second outing of the season with 10 or more strikeouts, and the third time she reached 14 or more strikeouts in her career.
Krings concluded the UNT series with a complete-game shutout in the April 23 finale. She allowed just three hits and one walk while registering nine strikeouts on 91 pitches over 7.0 innings.
Krings increased her career strikeout total to 430 which moves her into ninth all-time in Missouri program history ahead of Kristin Nottelmann (429 strikeouts, 2009-12). Krings has notched five-or-more strikeouts 13 times in 2023 including 12 of her last 14 starts. She surpassed 100 strikeouts (123) for the third-straight season.
AL PAL
Alex Honnold is fourth in the SEC (23rd in the NCAA) this season with a .434 batting average and third in the conference with a .573 on base percentage (eighth in the NCAA). She is also fifth in the SEC with an .861 slugging percentage (12th in the NCAA).
Honnold along with junior shortstop Jenna Laird both rank seventh in the SEC with 53 hits each.
On the basepaths, Honnold has snagged 18 bags (0.39 stolen bases/game), which is fifth in the SEC.
The junior from West Des Moines, Iowa, is currently on a 14-game reached base streak, after she went 2-for-4 with a home run, four RBI, and a walk in the Tuesday midweek win over SIUE. Honnold has also hit safely in each of the last three games for the Tigers.
Honnold hit .444 (.500 in the UNT series) with two homers, four RBI and four runs this past week. Honnold posted a 1.111 slugging percentage over the four games.
She finished the UNT series with a 2-for-2 day at the plate with two runs, two walks, and a RBI on April 23. Honnold connected on a solo dinger to right. In game two of the weekend series, she posted a RBI single.
Honnold, who was recently named a Top 25 Finalist for 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, leads the Tigers in 2023 for homers (12, eighth in the SEC) followed by Julia Crenshaw (9).
Honnold has registered 17 multi-hit games in 2023 (second on Missouri) and is tied for first on the Tigers with 42 RBI (nine multi-RBI games, first on the team) with Julia Crenshaw.
She most recently moved into a tie for seventh in the Mizzou record books for single-season walks (37) with Sami Fagan (2015).
Honnold was named the SEC Co-Player of the Week on Feb. 20, batting .643 with a 1.357 slugging percentage and a .762 on-base percentage as the Tigers went 6-0 over their non-conference Florida trip. Honnold was 9-for-14 at the dish, compiling 10 RBI, nine runs, four doubles and two home runs over the six games.
Gally
Second base Maddie Gallagher is currently on a 13-game reached base streak, with a hit by pitch in the first inning of the midweek with SIUE on Tuesday.
She paced the Tigers in their North Texas series with a .667 batting average (.500 over the week).
Gallagher opened the week with a RBI single in the midweek with Kansas. She added a hit in each of the two games she appeared in against UNT.
Overall, Gallagher is third on the team with a .289 batting average. She has posted five multi-hit games (two multi-RBI games) this season.
CRANNY
Catcher Julia Crenshaw tallied her 13th multi-hit game of the season, going 2-for-4 with a double in the midweek win over SIUE on Tuesday. The double was her team-leading 12th of the campaign.
This past week, she hit .364 with three RBI, a pair of doubles, and a home run. She opened the week with a 2-for-3 day at the plate in April 19’s midweek win over Kansas. Crenshaw registered the game-winning RBI double in the sixth and also scored in the win over the Jayhawks.
In the opener with North Texas, Crenshaw caught Laurin Krings’ no hitter and recorded the game-winning home run. Crenshaw finished the week, 1-for-3 with a RBI, in the finale on Sunday.
Crenshaw is second on the team in 2023 with nine home runs (14th in the SEC) and has produced nine multi-RBI games this season which paces Missouri with Kara Daly and Alex Honnold.
Crenshaw leads the SEC and is third in the NCAA with six sacrifice flies.
North Texas Sweep
Missouri most recently swept its three-game series with North Texas. The Tigers won the opener, 1-0, behind a no hitter from Laurin Krings before a 2-1 victory in game two. Mizzou then captured the sweep with a 5-0 complete-game shutout from Krings.
Julia Crenshaw slammed a solo shot for the lone run in the opener. She also had a double, two RBI and a run over the series.
Kara Daly paced Mizzou with four hits (.444) with two RBI, a triple, and two runs.
Maddie Gallagher led the Tigers, hitting .667 with a RBI. Alex Honnold added a .500 mark at the plate.
Cierra Harrison picked up the win in the circle in game two of the series, allowing just a hit with two strikeouts and a walk over two innings.
Megan Moll went 1-for-2 at the dish with a run in the second game of the series.
On the Daly
Kara Daly hit .444 over the Tigers home series with North Texas. Overall, she finished the week with a mark of .417.
Daly went 2-for-3 with a RBI in each of the final two games of the series with the Mean Green. She notched her second triple of the season in the third inning of the finale on April 23.
Daly opened the week with her 10th double of the season (tied for second on Missouri) in the Tigers midweek win over Kansas.
She has registered nine multi-hit games and nine multi-RBI games this season (first on Mizzou). Daly ranks third on the team with 40 RBI and is also third in 2023 with eight home runs.
Our Leadoff Hitter
Jenna Laird ranks seventh in the SEC with 53 hits. The junior shortstop from East Meadow, New York, is second on Mizzou in 2023 with a .333 mark at the dish.
She paces the Tigers with 18 multi-hit games (three hits four times). She also has eight multi-RBI games.
On the basepaths, Laird is second in the conference (15th in the NCAA) with 29 stolen bases (0.58 stolen bases/game, third in the SEC).
She most recently connected on her eight double on the year in the midweek win over SIUE on Tuesday.
Honnold Named Top 25 Finalist for 2023 USA Softball Player of the Year
Junior outfielder Alex Honnold was listed as one of the Top 25 Finalists for the 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, the organization announced April 19.
USA Softball will narrow down the Top 25 Finalists to 10 athletes on May 3, and the Top 3 finalists will be released on May 17. The 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year will be announced prior to the Women’s College World Series, which will take place June 1-9.
In the Circle
LAURIN KRINGS
Laurin Krings leads the Tigers with an 11-9 mark, throwing eight complete games over 126.0 innings. She has registered 123 strikeouts and has an ERA of 2.39.
Krings has won her last three appearances. She pitched 15 consecutive scoreless innings (0.00 ERA) this past week with 28 strikeouts (26 over UNT series) including a career-best 17-strikeout no hitter over North Texas on April 21.
Krings pitched a career-high 8.2 innings in the second game of the Alabama series on March 31, finishing with six strikeouts.
Krings was also dominant in a complete-game victory over No. 8/8 Northwestern on Feb. 11 (three strikeouts, one run on four hits in the complete-game win). She registered 11 strikeouts in a complete-game shutout of Illinois on March 14.
Krings has notched five-or-more strikeouts 13 times in 2023 including 12 of her last 14 starts.
Krings surpassed 400 strikeouts in her career as a Tiger with five in the Ole Miss finale on April 17. She ranks ninth all-time in program history with 430 ahead of Kristin Nottelmann (429 strikeouts, 2009-12). Krings also registered her third-straight 100-plus strikeout (123) season.
CIERRA HARRISON
Freshman Cierra Harrison has 68 strikeouts and is first for Tiger starters with a 2.36 ERA. She is 8-2 in 2023 with a complete-game win over Maine on March 3 and career-best eight strikeouts against Butler on Feb. 18. Opposing batters are hitting .197 against Harrison this season.
Harrison has registered seven-or-more strikeouts five times and matched her career-high eight punch outs against Drake on March 22.
She threw a one-hit complete game shutout of Lindenwood in midweek action on April 12. Harrison wrapped up the complete-game shutout by allowing just a single hit while striking out six over five innings.
She pitched 7.0 innings in relief during the Ole Miss series, striking out four with a 2.00 ERA (.182 batting average).
Harrison recently picked up the win in the circle in game two of the series with North Texas, allowing just a hit with two strikeouts and a walk over two innings.
She started Tuesday’s midweek win over SIUE, allowing one run on four hits with three strikeouts over 3.0 innings.
JORDAN WEBER
Jordan Weber is 7-7 this season with a 4.06 ERA to go with 52 strikeouts. Weber threw a no-hitter (third career no-hitter, second individual no-hitter) at FIU on Feb. 18 with a season-high four strikeouts. She also pitched a complete-game, allowing just two runs on three hits with a season-high five strikeouts against Illinois on March 14.
Weber picked up her first SEC win of the season on March 17 at Florida, letting up just three runs on five hits with four strikeouts over 6.2 innings.
She earned her seventh win of the season (39 career wins), working 4.1 innings in the opener with Ole Miss on April 15. She allowed just three runs on seven hits with a strikeout and a walk.
MEGAN SCHUMACHER
Megan Schumacher is 3-1 (23-8 in her career) thus far in 2023 with a 4.34 ERA over 29.0 innings (19 strikeouts). Schumacher registered a complete-game shutout, allowing just one hit as the Tigers notched a 10-0 run-rule win over Maine March 4. The start was her first of the 2023 campaign, tallying two strikeouts.
She earned the win for Missouri in the midweek against SIUE, compiling a career-best matching six strikeouts over the final four innings (no runs on two hits).
TAYLOR PANNELL
Freshman Taylor Pannell paces the conference with six saves (fifth in the NCAA). She has made 15 appearances (15.0 innings) in 2023. The Tigers closer from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, has compiled a 2.80 ERA and opposing batters are hitting .193.
2023 Preseason SEC Poll
Missouri Softball was selected to finish eighth in the Southeastern Conference in 2023, the league announced Jan. 26. The Tigers received 63 points in the annual preseason poll voted on by the conference’s 13 head coaches.
Jenna Laird Preseason Accolades
Missouri Softball junior shortstop Jenna Laird has been named to five 2023 preseason lists ahead of the season. She was named to the 2023 Preseason All-SEC Team on Feb. 2, to the Top 50 Watch List for the 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year on Jan. 25 and has also been named to D1Softball’s Preseason D100 Players, Extra Inning Softball’s Extra Elite 100 College Player Rankings and Softball America’s 2023 Preseason Top 100.
Laird led the Tigers in 2022 for batting average (.338), doubles (11), triples (3), runs scored (44) and stolen bases (22) as she garnered 2022 NFCA Third Team All-Region honors.
Laird was named to the 2022 SEC All-Tournament Team after she led the Tigers to the Championship Final, batting .500 over the four games. She was also selected to the 2022 All-SEC Second Team after posting a hitting line of .291/.519/.341 in conference play.
In the field, Laird was tabbed a 2022 Rawlings Gold Glove recipient for her play at shortstop. She posted a .975 fielding percentage, turning 10 double plays in total over 163 chances.
Looking Ahead
Following the Tigers final regular-season SEC road trip, Missouri will return home for senior weekend at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. The Tigers will host No. 11/12 Arkansas in a weekend series May 5-7. All three games will be broadcasted on SEC Network+ with game times set for 7 p.m., CT, 4 p.m. and 2 p.m.
Fans can receive bucket hats (Friday) and Own It cups (Saturday), while supplies last. Sunday is Family Funday Sunday with postgame autographs and base running.
The Tigers will honor Kendal Cook, Payton Jackson, Addie Lange, Hannah McGivern, Megan Moll, Emma Nichols, Megan Schumacher, and Jordan Weber on Senior Day Saturday.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team @MizzouSoftball (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
Single-game and limited season tickets are currently on sale. Tickets can be purchased online, in-person at the Mizzou ticket office, or by calling 1 (800) CAT-PAWS.
