March 13, 2014
| Opponent | Location | Day/Time (CT) | Media |
|---|---|---|---|
| vs. #9 Kentucky | Columbia, Mo. | Friday/6:30 p.m. | Live Stats | Twitter | Video |
| vs. #9 Kentucky | Columbia, Mo. | Saturday/2 p.m. | Live Stats | Twitter | Video |
| vs. #9 Kentucky | Columbia, Mo. | Sunday/Noon | Live Stats | Twitter | Video |
| TIGER TALES- No. 16 Mizzou Softball (15-5, 1-2 SEC) opens its 2014 home schedule with a Southeastern Conference series with No. 9 Kentucky (19-3, 2-1 SEC) from Friday, March 14-Sunday, March 16. The Tigers have won eight of their last 10 games, including the recent doubleheader sweep at Evansville (March 11), with scores of 7-3 and 6-2. Kentucky has claimed seven victories out of its last 10 contests.
• Head coach Ehren Earleywine's squad was led to the doubleheader sweep at Evansville (March 11) by standout two-game performances from junior 1B Kelsea Roth, redshirt sophomore OF Taylor Gadbois and sophomore 2B/OF Emily Crane. Roth batted 2-for-4, both home runs in the game one win (7-3). Gadbois batted 4-for-7 with three stolen bases, while Crane hit 3-for-6 with two stolen bases. Additionally, freshman C Kirsten Mack and redshirt sophomore SS Sami Fagan both had two RBIs in the game two win (6-2).
• Speed. Mizzou is showing plenty of it through the team's first 20 games, totaling 42 stolen bases for a clip of 2.1 successful steals per game. It's a stark improvement from last season in which Earleywine's group averaged 1.1 steals per game (59 SB, 52 games). The major contributor, of course, is Gadbois' 19 steals, which currently ranks second-best in the SEC. Crane has been more aggressive, as well, going 9-for-10 in steal attempts thus far. Crane finished her freshman season in 2013 with 13 steals in 52 games.
• The top of Mizzou's batting order has continued to frustrate opponents, with Gadbois, Crane and Fagan combining for 78 hits through 20 games, an average of 3.9 per game. And now the Tigers' middle of the lineup is getting involved. In Mizzou's last 10 games, Roth and junior 3B/C Angela Randazzo are hitting .348 (8-for-23) and .364 (8-for-22), respectively, with the duo combining for six home runs and 19 RBI.
• Night games against ranked competition have been smooth sailing for freshman P Tori Finucane so far in her first season at Mizzou, with the Tiger hurler earning her second complete game shutout of a ranked foe at No. 13 Texas A&M on March 7. Finucane pitched 7.0 innings of heat to the Aggies, recording seven strikeouts while allowing just three hits and two walks. With plenty of run support, the team effort equaled a 7-0 Mizzou victory. The Tigers dropped the remaining two games of the series to the Aggies, but Mizzou has hung tough against the nation's best so far in 2014, with four of the squad's five setbacks this season coming by one run against ranked opposition.
• Earleywine's squad notched a clean sweep (5-0) of its competition at the Citrus Classic in Kissimmee, Fla., from Feb. 28-March 2, defeating Bradley (1-0), Syracuse (9-7 in eight innings), Illinois State (11-10), Radford (7-1) and Ohio State (7-0). Gadbois led the way at the plate, batting .556 (10-for-18) and recording five steals (on five attempts). Crane was not far behind Gadbois, posting a .550 batting average (11-for-20) with three stolen bases. Freshman P/OF/1B Casey Stangel went 4-0 in the circle for the Tigers between two starts and two relief appearances.
• Mizzou finished the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic (Feb. 20-22) with a 3-2 record. Gadbois batted an outstanding .563 (9-for-16) over Mizzou's five games in California, while senior OF Mackenzie Sykes hit an impressive .462 (6-for-13) with two doubles to her credit. Mizzou took down its first ranked team of the season, blanking No. 14 Arizona, 2-0. The win was engineered by Finucane, who pitched the complete game shutout (7.0) with a season-best eight strikeouts. The new Tiger allowed just five hits and issued zero walks. Gadbois became the first Tiger since May 21, 2011, to record at least three stolen bases in a game.
• Earleywine is in his eighth season leading Mizzou and 11th season as a head softball coach with a major milestone within reach. The former Georgia Tech head coach (2004-06) went 146-55 in Atlanta before returning to his home state to lead the Tigers, winning 343 games to run his career total to 487.
THE OPPOSITION- Kentucky enters its series at Mizzou with a 19-3 overall record and 2-1 mark in SEC play. The Wildcats took their SEC-opening series at Mississippi State, 2-1, with shutout wins on Friday, March 7, 4-0, and Sunday, March 9, 5-0. The Bulldogs took the middle contest on Saturday, 2-1.
• The Wildcats are led at the plate by three batters hitting above .300: Griffin Joiner (.383), Dari Richardson (.350) and Emily Gaines (.345). Joiner has hit a team-best six home runs and has a team-high 14 RBI.
• UK has three stout pitchers seeing the majority of the time in the circle, firstly with Kelsey Nunley (67.2 IP), who has pitched to a 7-1 record with a 2.00 ERA. Lauren Cumbess has thrown 47.0 innings for a 5-0 record and 2.11 ERA. Meagan Prince has logged 24.1 innings for a 5-1 record and a team-low 1.85 ERA.
• Timely power hitting has been the main focus for Kentucky, with the squad only recording nine stolen bases thus far in 2014. The Wildcats have collectively hit 25 doubles, three triples and 24 home runs.