@MizzouSoftball Intersquad Report (Jan. 25, 2017)
1/25/2017 1:22:00 PM | Softball
Coach Earleywine continues prep for upcoming 2017 season opener on Feb. 10
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Softball kicked off its third week of official practice with a pair of sessions outside at University Field, as head coach Ehren Earleywine continues preparation for the 2017 season opener. The Tigers are only 16 days away from their season opener at the Charleston Southern Tournament (Feb. 10-12) in Charleston, S.C.
Throughout Mizzou's practice schedule, Assistant Director of Strategic Communications Andy Oldenburg will provide practice reports to give Tigers fans exclusive glimpses into the team's progress.
Tuesday, Jan. 24
- With temperatures in the low 50's, the Tigers gathered outside at University Field for one of their first intersquads of the season
- For the intersquad, Coach Earleywine separated the Tigers into three separate defensive groups and three separate offensive groups
- Senior Kirsten Mack and sophomore Rylee Pierce patrolled the Tigers hurlers behind the plate, as sophomore Danielle Baumgartner, senior Cheyenne Baxter and redshirt sophomore Madi Norman continued their work inside the circle
- Pierce, redshirt junior Anna Reed and redshirt freshman Jolie Duffner earned playing time at first base, while juniors Amanda Sanchez and Paige Bange worked at the hot corner to complete the corner infield positions
- Up the middle, Duffner and sophomore Kolby Romaine worked at second base, while Bange and freshman Braxton Burnside got reps at shortstop
- The outfield was a continuous rotation between freshman Taylor Kirby, sophomore Raime Cohen, senior Natalie Fleming, freshman Cayla Kessinger, freshman Lexi Rampetsreiter and Reed
- Along with pitching in the circle, Norman earned some hacks at the plate as a designated player
- The first hitting group (Pierce, Burnside, Romaine, Kessinger and Rampetsreiter) easily stole the show on Tuesday afternoon. All five continually made hard contact against live pitching, highlighted by two home runs from Pierce and one blast from Kessinger. A near second trip to Bomb City for Kessinger was robbed at the fence by fellow first-year Tiger, Kirby
- Group two (Duffner, Sanchez, Fleming, Reed and Norman) saw a slew of big hits, including a timely run-producing double by Fleming late in the intersquad
- The third and final group (Mack, Kirby, Cohen and Bange) was led by Mack, as she continues to display some of the best pop on the team. The Riverside, Calif., native's highlight came with a lengthy battle against Norman, resulting in a tomahawk home run to straight away centerfield
- Defensively, the Tigers' regular infield setup of Sanchez (3B), Burnside (SS), Romaine (2B), Pierce (1B) and Mack (C) will be as steady as they come in the SEC this season. Sanchez regularly turns hard-hit balls to third into routine outs, Burnside and Romaine have quickly produced a smooth chemistry up the middle and Mack still owns one of the strongest throwing arms behind the dish in all of the SEC
- Expect to see Bange and Duffner as "super utility" players throughout the upcoming season, as each Tiger routinely competes at two-four different defensive positions every practice
- Rampetsreiter and Cohen have fared well throughout the first weeks of practice, improving on their slap hitting at the plate. Both speedy Tigers will also be counted on as pinch runners off the bench this year
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