LINCOLN, Neb. – The No. 14/13 University of Missouri softball team (15-2) swept its opening day of the 2024 Big Red Invitational Saturday at Bowlin Stadium, capturing victories over Wichita State (9-4) and host, Nebraska (8-9).
The Tigers opened the tournament with a 13-3 run-rule win over Wichita State before downing the Cornhuskers, 10-6, in the night cap.
With the pair of victories, Mizzou improved to 15-2 in 2024 and is off to one of its best starts in program history.
No. 14/13 Mizzou 13, RV/RV Wichita State 3 – Five Innings
The Tigers opened their stay in the Cornhusker State with a run-rule victory, aided by a five-run second and a four-run fourth.
Catcher Julia Crenshaw went a career-best 4-for-4 at the plate with four RBI (season high) and three runs.
Missouri jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage, scoring a pair in the first. Leadoff hitter Jenna Laird was hit by a pitch before scoring on a bloop sacrifice fly from Kara Daly.
Crenshaw then stole second before touching the dish after a pair of Shockers errors.
Laurin Krings then limited the damage the following inning to two, as Wichita State evened the game with a two-run homer from Sophie Johnson.
The Tigers would reclaim the lead in the bottom of the second frame as Mizzou would load the bases and break the tie on a Crenshaw two-run base hit.
Mizzou then reloaded the bases, with consecutive hit by pitches for Daly and Maddie Gallagher (RBI).
Katie Chester then ripped a two-run single to increase the advantage to 7-2.
Missouri then widened the gap to 11-2 with a four-run third that featured four consecutive singles.
With the bases full of Tigers, Crenshaw, Daly, and Gallagher (2 RBI) registered three-straight RBI hits to grow the advantage.
Mizzou increased the margin to double digits in the fourth. Chantice Phillips led off with a double before moving to third on a Kayley Lenger single.
Phillips then touched home on a wild pitch for a 10-run advantage (12-2).
Crenshaw then tallied her fourth RBI on her fourth hit of the day to plate Lenger.
Taylor Sedlacek hit a solo homer to commence the fifth before Lilly Whitten closed the door to secure the run-rule win.
Whitten picked up her second career win (2-0), pitching 3.0 innings in relief of Krings, allowing just one run on two hits with a strikeout.
GAME NOTES
• Catcher Julia Crenshaw was a career-best 4-for-4 at the plate with four RBI (season high), three runs (career high) and a stolen base.
• It marked the third time in 2024 that a Tiger had finished 4-for-4 at the plate.
• The multi-RBI game was Julia Crenshaw's team-leading fourth of the season.
• Maddie Gallagher and Kayley Lenger (career high) both went 2-for-2 Saturday morning. Gallagher notched a season-high three RBI while Lenger scored a personal-best three times.
• Kara Daly and Katie Chester each added two RBI in the win.
• Laurin Krings made the start for Mizzou, pitching two innings, allowing two runs on four hits with a strikeout for the no decision.
• Lilly Whitten came in for MU and pitched three innings in relief, while allowing one run on two hits with a strikeout.
• Lilly Whitten made her second career appearance at Mizzou, improving to 2-0 in 2024.
• Claire Cahalan picked up her first career stolen base in the win.
• Mizzou picked up its fourth run-rule win of the season with a season-best matching 13 runs on 12 hits.
• The Tigers increased their all-time series advantage on the Shockers to 25-2. Head coachLarissa Anderson improved to 5-0 against Wichita State.
No 14/13 Mizzou 10, Nebraska 6
In the night cap, Mizzou jumped out to a 9-1 advantage on Nebraska courtesy of a six-run second.
The Tigers and the Cornhuskers exchanged runs in the opening inning before the Tigers widened the gap to 7-1. Mizzou struck first on a fielder's choice from Kara Daly which brought home Alex Honnold.
Nebraska answered in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from Emmerson Cope to knot the contest at 1-1.
The Tigers then loaded the bases with one out in the second to set the stage for their six-run inning.
Jenna Laird and Honnold combined for back-to-back two-run doubles to push the lead to 5-1.
Julia Crenshaw added an RBI base hit before coming home on a groundout from Daly.
Chantice Phillips then led off the third with her first home run of the campaign to extend the advantage to 8-1.
Madison Walker chipped in an RBI infield single in the fourth to make the score 9-1.
Nebraska fought back with a five-run fifth to cut the deficit to 9-6.
The Tigers then tacked on a run in the sixth before closing the door on the Huskers.
Maddie Gallagher opened the frame with a double before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt. She then touched home on Walker's second RBI of the game.
Marissa McCann came on in relief of Taylor Pannell in the sixth. McCann, a freshman from Surprise, Arizona, picked up her first career save, throwing two shutout innings with one strikeout and one walk.
The Tigers opened the tournament with a 13-3 run-rule win over Wichita State before downing the Cornhuskers, 10-6, in the night cap.
With the pair of victories, Mizzou improved to 15-2 in 2024 and is off to one of its best starts in program history.
No. 14/13 Mizzou 13, RV/RV Wichita State 3 – Five Innings
The Tigers opened their stay in the Cornhusker State with a run-rule victory, aided by a five-run second and a four-run fourth.
Catcher Julia Crenshaw went a career-best 4-for-4 at the plate with four RBI (season high) and three runs.
Missouri jumped out to an early 2-0 advantage, scoring a pair in the first. Leadoff hitter Jenna Laird was hit by a pitch before scoring on a bloop sacrifice fly from Kara Daly.
Crenshaw then stole second before touching the dish after a pair of Shockers errors.
Laurin Krings then limited the damage the following inning to two, as Wichita State evened the game with a two-run homer from Sophie Johnson.
The Tigers would reclaim the lead in the bottom of the second frame as Mizzou would load the bases and break the tie on a Crenshaw two-run base hit.
Mizzou then reloaded the bases, with consecutive hit by pitches for Daly and Maddie Gallagher (RBI).
Katie Chester then ripped a two-run single to increase the advantage to 7-2.
Missouri then widened the gap to 11-2 with a four-run third that featured four consecutive singles.
With the bases full of Tigers, Crenshaw, Daly, and Gallagher (2 RBI) registered three-straight RBI hits to grow the advantage.
Mizzou increased the margin to double digits in the fourth. Chantice Phillips led off with a double before moving to third on a Kayley Lenger single.
Phillips then touched home on a wild pitch for a 10-run advantage (12-2).
Crenshaw then tallied her fourth RBI on her fourth hit of the day to plate Lenger.
Taylor Sedlacek hit a solo homer to commence the fifth before Lilly Whitten closed the door to secure the run-rule win.
Whitten picked up her second career win (2-0), pitching 3.0 innings in relief of Krings, allowing just one run on two hits with a strikeout.
GAME NOTES
• Catcher Julia Crenshaw was a career-best 4-for-4 at the plate with four RBI (season high), three runs (career high) and a stolen base.
• It marked the third time in 2024 that a Tiger had finished 4-for-4 at the plate.
• The multi-RBI game was Julia Crenshaw's team-leading fourth of the season.
• Maddie Gallagher and Kayley Lenger (career high) both went 2-for-2 Saturday morning. Gallagher notched a season-high three RBI while Lenger scored a personal-best three times.
• Kara Daly and Katie Chester each added two RBI in the win.
• Laurin Krings made the start for Mizzou, pitching two innings, allowing two runs on four hits with a strikeout for the no decision.
• Lilly Whitten came in for MU and pitched three innings in relief, while allowing one run on two hits with a strikeout.
• Lilly Whitten made her second career appearance at Mizzou, improving to 2-0 in 2024.
• Claire Cahalan picked up her first career stolen base in the win.
• Mizzou picked up its fourth run-rule win of the season with a season-best matching 13 runs on 12 hits.
• The Tigers increased their all-time series advantage on the Shockers to 25-2. Head coachLarissa Anderson improved to 5-0 against Wichita State.
No 14/13 Mizzou 10, Nebraska 6
In the night cap, Mizzou jumped out to a 9-1 advantage on Nebraska courtesy of a six-run second.
The Tigers and the Cornhuskers exchanged runs in the opening inning before the Tigers widened the gap to 7-1. Mizzou struck first on a fielder's choice from Kara Daly which brought home Alex Honnold.
Nebraska answered in the bottom of the first with an RBI single from Emmerson Cope to knot the contest at 1-1.
The Tigers then loaded the bases with one out in the second to set the stage for their six-run inning.
Jenna Laird and Honnold combined for back-to-back two-run doubles to push the lead to 5-1.
Julia Crenshaw added an RBI base hit before coming home on a groundout from Daly.
Chantice Phillips then led off the third with her first home run of the campaign to extend the advantage to 8-1.
Madison Walker chipped in an RBI infield single in the fourth to make the score 9-1.
Nebraska fought back with a five-run fifth to cut the deficit to 9-6.
The Tigers then tacked on a run in the sixth before closing the door on the Huskers.
Maddie Gallagher opened the frame with a double before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt. She then touched home on Walker's second RBI of the game.
Marissa McCann came on in relief of Taylor Pannell in the sixth. McCann, a freshman from Surprise, Arizona, picked up her first career save, throwing two shutout innings with one strikeout and one walk.
