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COLUMBIA, Mo. - The No. 12/12 University of Missouri softball team (19-2, 1-0 SEC) used the long ball and a stellar outing from Laurin Krings to defeat No. 25/25 Auburn (12-3-1, 0-1 SEC), 5-2, Friday afternoon in its home opener at Mizzou Softball Stadium.
The 19-2 start to the 2024 season is the best start for Missouri since the Tigers opened the 2013 campaign 22-2 en route to a 38-14 finish.
The host Tigers got to 2023 SEC Pitcher of the Year Maddie Penta throughout the contest with a pair of home runs from juniors Kara Daly andJulia Crenshaw. The pair who bat in the heart of Missouri's order, drove in all five runs on the outing, as the Tigers scored the most runs of the season off the 2023 First Team All-American.
Daly provided the Tigers an early 2-0 lead with her third long ball of the campaign in the bottom of the first.
In the circle, Krings got her 10th start for Mizzou this season, making history as she became the eighth Tiger to achieve 500 strikeouts in her career. Krings led the Tigers in a strong complete-game performance allowing two hits and two runs, while striking out nine.
The Loveland, Colorado, native, kept the Auburn bats silent until the top of the fourth, when the visiting Tigers rallied to tie the contest. Amelia Lech started the string of runs, scoring Makayla Packer on a double to left center for Auburn's first hit of the contest. The tying run then followed as Nelia Peralta knocked an RBI single up the middle.
Missouri responded not too long after. Jenna Laird got the offense rolling in the bottom of the fifth, sending a single up the middle before Alex Honnold reached base on a hit by pitch. With two runners on base, Julia Crenshaw blasted a Penta breaking ball over the left-field wall for a no-doubt three-run shot that gave MU the three-run edge.
After allowing the pair of runs to Auburn, Krings settled back into her rhythm. She sat down the next nine batters she faced to lock up the SEC-opening victory.
The Tigers continue the series against Auburn Saturday (2 p.m., CT) and Sunday (noon, CT).
NOTES
• Laurin Krings notched her 500th strikeout in her career as a Tiger. Krings recorded nine strikeouts moving her to 506 all-time. Krings sits eighth for career strikeouts in program history behind Jen Bruck (05-08) with 519.
• Kara Daly hit her third home run of the season, tying Katie Chester for the team lead. Daly went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run Friday.
• Dating back to last season, Kara Daly has hit a home run in three consecutive homes games at Mizzou Softball Stadium.
• With Kara Daly's home run, Mizzou broke Maddie Penta's 26.2-inning scoreless streak that spanned four-plus starts.
• Kara Daly posted her fourth multi-RBI game in 2024.
• The five runs scored against Maddie Penta were the most an opponent has plated against the 2023 First Team All-American since Clemson scored five against her in NCAA Regional competition last year.
• Laurin Krings did not allow a hit to the first 12 batters she faced, recording four strikeouts during that stretch.
• Jenna Laird extended her hitting streak to five games dating back to March 2 against Nebraska. She finished 1-for-4 with a run and a stolen base.
• Julia Crenshaw hit her first home run of the 2024 season. She finished 2-for-3 with three RBI, a homer, a double and a run.
• For Julia Crenshaw, it marked her sixth multi-RBI game in 2024 (second 3 RBI game in 2024) and fifth multi-hit game of the season.
• Missouri tied its season-high two home runs in a game, a mark the Tigers have reached three times before.
• Maddie Gallagher extended her reached-base streak to 15 games with a walk in the fifth. She also tallied a stolen base.
• Kayley Lenger tied her career-high two hits (2-for-3) in a game, an achievement she set against Wichita State on March 2.
• The Tigers earned a win in their SEC opener for the first time since 2021, when MU conquered No. 19/20 Georgia on the road.
• Missouri's record against top-25 foes improved to 3-1 in 2024.
• Mizzou's all-time record against Auburn improved to 12-12 after Friday's win.
LOOKING AHEAD
• Mizzou continues its series against Auburn, for its 2024 home opening/SEC opening weekend Saturday (2 p.m., CT) and Sunday (noon, CT). The series will be available on SEC Network+.
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The No. 12/12 University of Missouri softball team (19-2, 1-0 SEC) used the long ball and a stellar outing from Laurin Krings to defeat No. 25/25 Auburn (12-3-1, 0-1 SEC), 5-2, Friday afternoon in its home opener at Mizzou Softball Stadium.
The 19-2 start to the 2024 season is the best start for Missouri since the Tigers opened the 2013 campaign 22-2 en route to a 38-14 finish.
The host Tigers got to 2023 SEC Pitcher of the Year Maddie Penta throughout the contest with a pair of home runs from juniors Kara Daly andJulia Crenshaw. The pair who bat in the heart of Missouri's order, drove in all five runs on the outing, as the Tigers scored the most runs of the season off the 2023 First Team All-American.
Daly provided the Tigers an early 2-0 lead with her third long ball of the campaign in the bottom of the first.
In the circle, Krings got her 10th start for Mizzou this season, making history as she became the eighth Tiger to achieve 500 strikeouts in her career. Krings led the Tigers in a strong complete-game performance allowing two hits and two runs, while striking out nine.
The Loveland, Colorado, native, kept the Auburn bats silent until the top of the fourth, when the visiting Tigers rallied to tie the contest. Amelia Lech started the string of runs, scoring Makayla Packer on a double to left center for Auburn's first hit of the contest. The tying run then followed as Nelia Peralta knocked an RBI single up the middle.
Missouri responded not too long after. Jenna Laird got the offense rolling in the bottom of the fifth, sending a single up the middle before Alex Honnold reached base on a hit by pitch. With two runners on base, Julia Crenshaw blasted a Penta breaking ball over the left-field wall for a no-doubt three-run shot that gave MU the three-run edge.
After allowing the pair of runs to Auburn, Krings settled back into her rhythm. She sat down the next nine batters she faced to lock up the SEC-opening victory.
The Tigers continue the series against Auburn Saturday (2 p.m., CT) and Sunday (noon, CT).
NOTES
• Laurin Krings notched her 500th strikeout in her career as a Tiger. Krings recorded nine strikeouts moving her to 506 all-time. Krings sits eighth for career strikeouts in program history behind Jen Bruck (05-08) with 519.
• Kara Daly hit her third home run of the season, tying Katie Chester for the team lead. Daly went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run Friday.
• Dating back to last season, Kara Daly has hit a home run in three consecutive homes games at Mizzou Softball Stadium.
• With Kara Daly's home run, Mizzou broke Maddie Penta's 26.2-inning scoreless streak that spanned four-plus starts.
• Kara Daly posted her fourth multi-RBI game in 2024.
• The five runs scored against Maddie Penta were the most an opponent has plated against the 2023 First Team All-American since Clemson scored five against her in NCAA Regional competition last year.
• Laurin Krings did not allow a hit to the first 12 batters she faced, recording four strikeouts during that stretch.
• Jenna Laird extended her hitting streak to five games dating back to March 2 against Nebraska. She finished 1-for-4 with a run and a stolen base.
• Julia Crenshaw hit her first home run of the 2024 season. She finished 2-for-3 with three RBI, a homer, a double and a run.
• For Julia Crenshaw, it marked her sixth multi-RBI game in 2024 (second 3 RBI game in 2024) and fifth multi-hit game of the season.
• Missouri tied its season-high two home runs in a game, a mark the Tigers have reached three times before.
• Maddie Gallagher extended her reached-base streak to 15 games with a walk in the fifth. She also tallied a stolen base.
• Kayley Lenger tied her career-high two hits (2-for-3) in a game, an achievement she set against Wichita State on March 2.
• The Tigers earned a win in their SEC opener for the first time since 2021, when MU conquered No. 19/20 Georgia on the road.
• Missouri's record against top-25 foes improved to 3-1 in 2024.
• Mizzou's all-time record against Auburn improved to 12-12 after Friday's win.
LOOKING AHEAD
• Mizzou continues its series against Auburn, for its 2024 home opening/SEC opening weekend Saturday (2 p.m., CT) and Sunday (noon, CT). The series will be available on SEC Network+.
