Softball Secures Border Showdown Victory Over Kansas

COLUMBIA, Mo. — The University of Missouri softball team (26-20, 4-14 SEC) defeated border rival, Kansas (20-20, 9-7 Big 12), 4-3, Wednesday evening at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.  

With the midweek tied at 3-3, Julia Crenshaw registered a game-winning RBI double in the bottom of the sixth to score Kara Daly and break the stalemate. Daly picked up her team-leading 10th double of the season to set the stage for Crenshaw’s hit.

Freshman closer Taylor Pannell then slammed the door on the Jayhawks in the bottom of the seventh to capture the victory. With one out and a runner on, Pannell struck out Shayna Espy before earning her sixth save with her defense on a groundout to the circle.

The Tigers took an early 3-0 advantage in the top of the first Wednesday.

Alex Honnold, who was most recently named a Top 25 Finalist for 2023 USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year, blasted a two-run opposite-field homer to open the scoring.

Maddie Gallagher then brought home Crenshaw on a RBI single to left to increase the edge to 3-0.

The Jayhawks then got on to the board in the third off a solo shot by Haleigh Harper.

Kansas would knot the contest at 3-3 in the sixth. Lyric Moore posted a RBI single before the Jayhawks evened the contest on a Tigers error.

Starter Jordan Weber retired three batters via strikeout and allowed just two earned runs on six hits over 5.1 innings. Laurin Krings came on in relief in the sixth, scattering a hit to go with a pair of strikeouts.

NOTES

• Julia Crenshaw led Missouri at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double, a run, and a RBI. It marked her 12th multi-hit game of the season. She extended her reached base streak to six games.
• Julia Crenshaw has posted a pair of hits in back-to-back games.
• Alex Honnold, Kara Daly, Maddie Gallagher, and Riley Frizell each posted a hit in the win.
• Julia Crenshaw and Kara Daly both tallied their 10th doubles of the season and lead the Tigers with Alex Honnold for the category.
• Alex Honnold belted her team-leading 10th home run of the season. She also compiled her eighth multi-RBI game.
• Maddie Gallagher and Alex Honnold both extended their reached base streaks to 10 games. 
• Five Tigers posted hits in the win.
• Laurin Krings picked up her ninth win of the season in the circle (36-21 in career).
• Freshman Taylor Pannell earned her sixth save of the campaign, she entered the game leading the SEC (sixth in the NCAA) in saves.
• With the win, the Tigers improved to 7-0 in midweek games at home (8-0 in 2023) this season.
• Mizzou also improved to 71-45 in the all-time series against Kansas.
• Wednesday’s victory marked the first win for the Tigers over Kansas since 2020, when Missouri run ruled the Jayhawks, 8-0, in five innings at the ESPN St. Pete/Clearwater Invitational. 
• Head coach Larissa Anderson improves to 4-2 in her career against Kansas.  

Looking Ahead

Missouri next steps out of conference play for a three-game series against North Texas Friday through Sunday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium.

All three games will be broadcasted on SEC Network+ (6 p.m., 3 p.m., 12 p.m., CT). Saturday’s game is All for Alex while Sunday is Bark in the Park and Family Funday Sunday.

All 13 SEC teams will participate in the third annual “All for Alex” weekend to honor the legacy of Mississippi State’s Alex Wilcox. Wilcox was a member of the 2018 Mississippi State softball team who inspired the nation with her courageous fight against ovarian cancer. Mizzou will wear specialty teal jerseys to recognize her impact on the softball community nationwide and in the fight against ovarian cancer.

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.