2024 Missouri Softball Preview: The Outfield
In 2023, Mizzou softball extended its streak of making regionals to a whopping 17 seasons. However, the Tigers made it by the skin of their teeth, as they snuck into the Norman Regional as a No.3-seed after finishing the regular season at 34-24 (7-17 SEC). There, they knocked off No. 2-seed California in the opener, but then got mercy-ruled by top-ranked Oklahoma 11-0 in six innings. In a rematch against Cal that was a win-or-go-home contest, Mizzou took a 7-5 loss despite a late comeback.
Head coach Larissa Anderson’s squad didn’t experience much roster turnover this past offseason, as most of the core players from 2023 are back for another go-around. It's a big reason why MU was picked to finish eighth in the SEC Softball Preseason Coaches Poll.
While the outfield lost more production over this past offseason than the infield, the grass will still be patrolled by three veterans, including Mizzou's best player from last season and one of the top transfers in the nation.
Returners
Alex Honnold (Senior)
2023 stats: 57 appearances, .396 AVG, 1.318 OPS, 14 HRs, 49 RBIs, .539 OBP
After a stupendous sophomore season, Honnold supernova'd into Mizzou's top player in 2023. She led the Tigers in most batting statistics and figures to lead the charge from the two-spot again this season.
Out of the long list of batting statistics, a few stood out. Her near-.400 batting average was sixth amongst SEC batters last season, and her on-base percentage ranked 12th in the nation, a number Billy Beane certainly would've appreciated. Not only that, her OPS -- a player's on-base percentage plus their slugging percentage -- accurately portrayed Honnold's impact on offense. She didn't just get on base often; she also took multiple bases a lot.
Her efforts were recognized with many accolades, including a spot on the All-SEC second team. She also checked in at no. 47 on D1 softball’s preseason D100 Player Rankings that were released a little while ago, the highest ranking of any current Tiger.
“It’s hard to duplicate that kind of [All-American] year, so it’s really not being focused on trying to duplicate it," head coach Larissa Anderson told the Inside Mizzou Athletics Podcast in January. "If the stats are there, that’s great..Probably being more aggressive and having an improved approach into the batter's box... she can’t get consumed with trying to make her weakness the best part of her game. And when the pitcher makes a mistake, she capitalizes on it.”
Chantice Phillips (Senior)
2023 stats: 39 appearances, .222 AVG, .617 OPS, 2 HRs, 14 RBIs, .274 OBP
The Kansas City native is back for her senior season, where she'll look to be a cornerstone piece of the outfield. After seeing limited action over her first two seasons in Columbia, Phillips' playing time skyrocketed in 2023 and projects to have a similar amount this time around.
With more time in the lineup, Phillips showed flashes of serious pop. She smashed her first career homer in Mizzou's first home game against Kansas City last season, and her best came came against Alabama in early April, where she was MU's best player in a dominant victory over the Crimson Tide.
Vanessa Hollingsworth (Junior)
2023 stats: 19 appearances, .158 AVG, .488 OPS, 0 HRs, 2 RBIs, .340 OB
Hollingsworth played sparingly last season, with 11 of her 13 starts coming at designated hitter.
Departures
Payton Jackson (graduation)
2023 stats: 50 appearances, .223 AVG, .686 OPS, 2 HRs, 12 RBIs, .320 OBP
Arguably the biggest loss from the 2023 squad, Jackson entered last season as a transfer from Texas Tech (where she was their best hitter) and was immediately impactful.
Something that defined Jackson's performance last season was how often she registered hard-hit balls that ended up being outs. If college softball had their own version of Baseball Savant, the gap between her expected batting average (xBA) and her actual batting average would've been quite large.
Her most notable contribution came in Mizzou's 7-5 season-ending loss to Cal in the Norman Regional, where she went 3/3, including a home run that completed a stretch of back-to-back-to-back dingers for the Tigers.
Maddie Snider (transfer, South Florida)
2023 stats: 44 appearances, .228 AVG, .694 OPS, 2 HRs, 19 RBIs, .304 OBP
After a freshman season that saw her contribute mostly as a pinch runner, she became a semi-regular in the lineup last season with 34 starts in the outfield.
She'll look to increase her contributions at South Florida, where the Bulls will be looking to make it back to Regionals for the fifth time in the past six seasons.
Kendal Cook (transfer, Charleston Southern)
2023 stats: 44 appearances, .228 AVG, .694 OPS, 2 HRs, 19 RBIs, .304 OBP
Over her four seasons in Columbia, Cook was mostly used at a pinch runner.
After only making eight appearances last season, Cook took her talents to Charleston Southern, where she'll look to take on a bigger role for a team that's looking to make it to Regionals for the first time since 2014.
Transfers
Mya Dodge (Northern Iowa)
2023 stats: 48 appearances, .396 AVG, 1.363 OPS, 17 HRS, 68 RBIs,
The prize of Mizzou's 2024 transfer class, Dodge was one of the nation's shiniest young stars over her first two seasons at UNI. After a freshman season that saw her win Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and make the All-MVC first team, she took home MVC Player of the Year last season. In just two seasons, she'd already become one of the best players in the history of Northern Iowa softball.
Over the offseason, Dodge decided to hit the portal and head just south to Missouri.
“She’s a very high energy level type of player, offers a lot of tools, extremely energetic," Anderson said of Dodge. "She’s smaller in stature but has a tremendous amount of power, so she’s going to run into one every once in a while. She’s got unbelievable bat speed and she’s great on the bases, but her versatility in the outfield, she’s going to be a really good complement playing next to Alex Honnold and being able to cover a lot of ground.”
Her impact was meteoric both at the plate and in the field. She was one of just 26 D1 players to blast at least 17 homers last season, which included a three-dinger explosion against Southern Illinois. Her 68 RBIs tied for third in the nation, and she tied with Grand Canyon's Kristi Fifield for most RBIs per game (1.42). She also went two consecutive games without a hit just four times, with three of them lasting just two games and one lasting three games.
She was also a hawk in the outfield. Starting mainly at left field, Dodge ran like a car from the automobile company that shares her last name despite being just 5'6".
Prior to last season, Dodge checked in at no. 75 on D1 softball’s preseason D100 Player Rankings. This time around, she ranked slightly lower at 83. Don't be surprised if that number is higher by the beginning of next season.
Freshmen
Danielle Blackstun (O’Fallon, Mo.)
Hailing from the same high school as teammate Julia Crenshaw (Fort Zumwalt West), Blackstun actually holds school records for hits (164), runs scored (129), stolen bases (75) and walks (48). Her consistently spectacular efforts earned her sports on the All-District and All-Conference first team three times. In her senior season, Blackstun made All-State and All-Region first team.
Claire Cahalan (Columbus, Ga.)
At Northside High School, Cahalan made the All-State and All-Region teams three times. Her immediate role amidst a crowded outfield is unknown, but like many other college softball freshman, she certainly has the pedigree to contribute heavily sometime in the future if not this season.
Stefania Abruscato (Smithtown, Ny.)
Arguably the most prestigious of Mizzou's freshman additions in the outfield, Abruscato strengthened the New York-Mizzou pipeline when she committed to the Tigers back in 2021.
Last season, Abruscato was named the New York Gatorade Softball Player of the Year. She was so exceptional that the Italian American Baseball Foundation gave her a shoutout.
Although she's listed as an outfielder (which is why I put her in this section), Abruscato primarily played catcher in high school, and by high school, I mean seventh grade, because she was that good. It's also where she played in Mizzou's Black and Gold scrimmage last Saturday, where she got on base three times and picked off Chantice Phillips at second base.
