AUBURN, Ala. – The fifth seeded No. 11/12 University of Missouri softball team (41-14) utilized a three-run third inning to down 13 seed Ole Miss (31-25), 3-1, Wednesday afternoon at Jane B. Moore Field to commence the Tigers’ stay at the 2024 SEC Tournament.
With the victory, Mizzou advances to Thursday’s quarterfinals where it will face fourth seeded No. 16/13 Arkansas. First pitch is set for 35 minutes following Game 6 (10 a.m., CT) and will be broadcasted on SEC Network.
Missouri advanced to the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals for the first time since 2022. With the win, the Tigers won their fourth-straight SEC Tournament opener dating back to 2021.
The win is also the Tigers fifth SEC Tournament win in their past seven Tournament games dating back to the 2022 season.
Laurin Krings was efficient in the circle, allowing just one earned run on three hits to go with a walk on 79 pitches. Krings also picked up a strikeout in the victory, improving to 13-7 in 2024.
Leadoff batter Jenna Laird paced the Tigers at the dish, going 2-for-3 with a run, a walk, and a stolen base.
Mizzou jumped out to a 3-0 advantage in the third. Kayley Lenger drew a one-out walk before advancing to third on a Laird single.
Alex Honnold followed with a two-run double to right center to put MU on the scoreboard. The double marked Honnold’s 21st of the season as she continues to improve on the Mizzou single-season record.
Maddie Gallagher, Mizzou’s 2024 SEC Community Service Team member, followed with a walk before freshman Abby Hay brought Honnold home on an RBI base hit (3-0).
Krings retired eight-straight Rebels from the first through the third Wednesday.
Krings’ lone blemish Wednesday was a home run from Aynslie Furbush to begin the seventh.
Mizzou closer Taylor Pannell then secured her NCAA-leading 13th save of the season. She allowed just one walk before retiring Ole Miss.
GAME NOTES
- Laurin Krings was efficient in the circle, allowing just one earned run on three hits to go with a walk on 79 pitches. Krings also picked up a strikeout in the victory, improving to 13-7 in 2024.
- Laurin Krings has recorded a punch out in each of her last 56 appearances.
- Leadoff batter Jenna Laird paced the Tigers at the dish, going 2-for-3 with a run, a walk, and a stolen base. She notched her team-leading 20th multi-hit game of the season.
- Jenna Laird now has 81 career stolen bases which ranks tied for sixth in Mizzou program history with Kris Schmidt (1985-88).
- Shortstop Jenna Laird has now appeared in 235 consecutive games. With two more games, she will break the Mizzou career record.
- Alex Honnold connected on her 21st double of the season as she continues to improve on the Mizzou single-season record. She now has 50 in her career which ranks tied for fifth with Emily Crane (2013-16).
- Alex Honnold finished Wednesday, 1-for-3 with two RBI, a run, a double and an HBP.
- Alex Honnold registered her team-leading eighth multi-RBI game. She is tied for first on Mizzou with Maddie Gallagher and Katie Chester.
- Alex Honnold extended her reached base streak to 11 games (three-game hitting streak).
- Alex Honnold is now two hits away from 200 in her career.
- Abby Hay added an RBI single, finishing 1-for-3 with an RBI.
- Stefania Abruscato has reached base in each of the last seven games after she matched a career-best two walks.
- Mizzou closer Taylor Pannell secured her NCAA-leading 13th save of the season. She allowed just one walk before retiring Ole Miss in the seventh.
- Taylor Pannell is now two saves from matching the NCAA regular-season record of 15 held by Taylor Bauman (FGCU) and Mallory Aldred (Canisius). Pannell also officially surpassed Kacey Marshall’s Mizzou record (12 saves in 1994).
- Freshman Claire Cahalan made her second career start Wednesday, earning the nod in left field. She posted her fourth hit of the season.
- Missouri advanced to the SEC Tournament Quarterfinals for the first time since 2022. With the win, the Tigers won their fourth-straight SEC Tournament opener dating back to 2021.
- The win is also the Tigers fifth SEC Tournament win in their past seven Tournament games dating back to the 2022 season.
- Mizzou is now one win away from matching the 2021 season’s (42-17) win total.
- Head coach Larissa Anderson improved to 6-4 at the SEC Tournament.
- Mizzou now leads the all-time series with Ole Miss, 16-10.
- Head coach Larissa Anderson is now 7-7 against Ole Miss in her career.
LOOKING AHEAD
- Mizzou advances to Thursday’s SEC Tournament Quarterfinals where they will face fourth seeded No. 16/13 Arkansas. First pitch is set for 35 minutes following Game 6 (10 a.m., CT) and will be broadcasted on SEC Network.
FOLLOW THE TIGERS
- For all the latest on Mizzou Softball, stay tuned to MUTigers.com and follow the team @MizzouSoftball (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).
