May 14, 2014

Opponent	Location	Day/Time	Media
Bradley	Columbia, Mo.	Fri./3 p.m. CT	Twitter | | KTGR | Video
TBD	Columbia, Mo.	Sat./3:30 OR 6 p.m. CT	Twitter

KTGR: Will Palaszczuk (PXP), Chad Moller (Color) Mizzou Network: Free coverage via YouTube Game Notes: Mizzou | Columbia Regional Central

REGIONAL TIME AT UNIVERSITY FIELD
• No. 16 Mizzou Softball (41-16) opens its latest appearance in the NCAA Division I Softball Championship in its usual spot - University Field in Columbia, Mo. Hosting one of the NCAA Tournament's initial stops for the sixth-straight season, head coach Ehren Earleywine's group welcomes Bradley, Kansas and No. 19 Nebraska to town from Friday, May 16-Sunday, May 18. Mizzou starts with Bradley on Friday (3 p.m.), with free, live coverage provided by the Mizzou Network and KTGR (100.5/103.1 FM, 1580 AM).

• The Tigers have recent and past history to look to with all three Columbia Regional visitors, starting with Bradley, who Mizzou faced earlier this season in the Citrus Classic at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Kissimmee, Fla., on Feb. 28. The Tigers' offense was quieter than normal in the 1-0 win, but freshman P/OF/1B Casey Stangel took care of business in the circle with just four hits allowed and zero walks issued. Redshirt sophomore SS/C Sami Fagan batted 2-for-3 in the victory with a double and one run scored.

• Mizzou has 187 prior meetings on record between Kansas (107) and Nebraska (80), as the Tigers played the two schools regularly as members of the Big 12 Conference and Big Eight Conference. The Tigers and the Huskers last met in non-conference competition at the beginning of the 2012 season, when NU edged Mizzou by a 6-4 score at the Mary Nutter Classic in Palm Springs, Calif., on Feb. 25, 2012. The Tigers swept Kansas at home later that season (March 16, 18), winning the three games by a combined score of 24-0.

TIGERS VS. THE FIELD
• Mizzou posted an outstanding a 19-13 mark against the NCAA Tournament field during the 2014 season, meaning the squad dropped a mere three results to non-Tournament competition during the regular season.

RECAPPING REGIONALS
• Mizzou has claimed six-straight NCAA Regional titles, including five consecutive at home at University Field. The Tigers started the streak in 2008 at the Iowa City Regional, going 3-0 with wins over Iowa (3-2, 5-4) and Long Beach State (5-3). Mizzou made its first of three-straight Women's College World Series trips in the following 2009 season, going 3-0 with wins over Illinois (5-1), Bradley (2-1) and DePaul (1-0). The 2009 season marked the beginning of Mizzou's streak of regional hosting.

• The 2010 Columbia Regional saw Mizzou go 3-0 again with victories over Creighton (3-2) and Illinois (3-1, 4-2). Earleywine's squad saw its first test since the 2007 season when the 2011 postseason came around. The Tigers dropped a tough, 11-inning 2-1 result to DePaul after defeating Illinois State 12-3 in five innings. Mizzou battled back with three-straight wins, first vs. Illinois State (8-4) and twice vs. DePaul (7-4, 8-0 in six inning).

• Mizzou continued its run of Super Regional appearances with two more regional titles in 2012 and 2013. The 2012 crown featured two wins vs. Illinois State (6-0, 2-1) with a victory over DePaul (1-0, nine innings) in between. Last season, Mizzou defeated Stony Brook, 3-0, before outlasting Hofstra in a three-game set with two victories (1-0, 5-0).

SEC HONORS COME IN FOR THE TIGERS
• Four of Earleywine's players were honored on May 6, when the Southeastern Conference announced its All-SEC teams, which are voted on by the league's coaches. Freshman P Tori Finucane earned the highest praise with SEC Freshman of the Year recognition.

• Finucane also earned First Team All-SEC and Freshman All-SEC honors. Redshirt sophomore OF Taylor Gadbois and junior IF Corrin Genovese joined Finucane with First Team All-SEC nods. Senior OF Mackenzie Sykes was named to the SEC All-Defensive Team at left field.

SECOND CONFERENCE FROSH OF THE YEAR FOR MIZZOU
• Finucane's nod as SEC Freshman of the Year bares a fair amount of distinction, as she became just the second player in program history to receive such an honor. She joins former three-time All-American Rhea Taylor, who earned Freshman of the Year in 2008 when Mizzou was a member of the Big 12 Conference.

FAGAN CONNECTS WELL VS. CRIMSON TIDE
• Fagan was on her game throughout the series vs. No. 6 Alabama (May 1-3), hitting .455 (5-for-11) and posting a team-best .455 on-base percentage. Fagan recorded two two-hit games in the series, in both the series-opener (an 8-6 Mizzou win on May 1) and the series finale on May 3.

• Fagan has been a top bat in the Tiger lineup all season long, ranking second in hits (63), runs scored (36) and RBI (41). She also has nine doubles and 12 stolen bases (on 15 attempts).

SALUTE THE SENIORS
• Mizzou played its final regular season game on May 3 vs. No. 6 Alabama and honored its two seniors. Sykes and pitcher Alora Marble were recognized after a season-best 2,182 fans were on hand for the regular season finale. Marble has appeared in 14 games in her first and final season as a Tiger, picking up SEC victories at No. 20 Auburn (twice) and vs. Ole Miss.

• The Tigers' lone four-year senior, Sykes has made more than 140 starts in her strong career at Mizzou. She has had a memorable final season in the Black & Gold, posting season bests in home runs (8), hits (46), runs scored (33) and RBI (51).

STOP, THIEF!
• Gadbois leads the SEC in stolen bases with her 45 swipes in 2014. Her 0.82 stolen bases per game (heading into the week) ranked fourth in the nation. Her success this season ranks in Mizzou's single-season Top 10 for stolen bases at fourth, all-time.

TIGERS TAME GATORS
• Mizzou kept their run of SEC success rolling at No. 3 Florida (April 25-April 27), taking two out of three games from the Gators to win a fifth-straight SEC series. Earleywine's squad picked up the series-opening win, 5-3 (April 25), before taking the series finale (April 27) by a 5-4 score.

• Finucane anchored both victories over the Gators (April 25, 27) from the circle and was recognized nationally for her efforts. The Tiger hurler became the second player in Mizzou history to receive both national player of the week honors on April 29 (Louisville Slugger/NFCA & USA Softball), in the same week, joining former ace Chelsea Thomas (March 8, 2011) with that distinction. Finucane won 11 consecutive decisions from April 4-May 1, with her winning streak surpassing Thomas for the longest run of success for a Mizzou pitcher. Thomas won 10-straight from Feb 25, 2012-March 21, 2012.