Mizzou Minute: Tigers Softball Begins Season with Two Ranked Wins

Missouri Tigers softball began their 2024 season with wins over 13/16 Utah and 5/7 Clemson.

Missouri softball has been off to a roaring start for the 2024 season, winning all five games this weekend at the NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic.

The five wins included a 4-3 opener against 13/16 Utah and a 4-1 win over 5/7 Clemson to close out the weekend. Through the five games, Missouri outscored their opponents by 38-to-7. Senior shortstop Jenna Laird currently leads the team with seven runs, 

Missouri softball defeats Clemson, wins NFCA Division I Leadoff Classic

One of the team's biggest strengths this season is their pitching depth and returning experience in the lineup. Through the five games, sophomore Cierra Harrison, senior Lauren Krings and freshman Marissa McCann stepped up to the mound. Krings, unsurprisingly, has pitched the most for Missouri so far, pitching 19 innings compared to eight for Harrison and four for McCann. Krings was also Missouri's leading pitcher in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, pitching 156.1 innings in her sophomore season and 163 in her junior year. Her production has improved every year since becoming a reliable starter in her freshman year. Harrison was Missouri's third most frequent pitcher in 2023, going for 67.2 innings.

The team returned all four of their top run scorers, including senior Alex Honnold, Laird, junior Kara Daly and junior Julia Crenshaw. 

This upcoming weekend, the Tigers will travel to Denton, Texas, to participate in the Tracy Beard College Classic to take on Texas A&M Commerce, South Dakota State and North Texas. The team's first home game will be Friday, March 8 when they take on 19/20 Auburn at 4 p.m. 

2024 Missouri Softball Preview: The Pitchers