| Game | Location | Day/Time (CT) | Media |
|---|---|---|---|
| vs. Notre Dame | Kissimmee, Fla. | Friday // 2:30 p.m. | Live Stats |
| vs. Penn State | Kissimmee, Fla. | Friday // 4:45 p.m. | Live Stats |
| vs. Minnesota | Kissimmee, Fla. | Saturday // 12:15 p.m. | Live Stats |
| vs. James Madison | Kissimmee, Fla. | Saturday // 4:45 p.m. | Live Stats |
| vs. Maryland | Kissimmee, Fla. | Sunday // 9:00 a.m. | Live Stats |
KISSIMMEE, Fla. - The Mizzou softball squad (8-2) returns to Orlando for the Citrus Classic at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex from Feb 27-March 1. The Tigers play five games in three days, facing three Big Ten schools (Penn State, Maryland and Minnesota), James Madison and Notre Dame. The game against the Fighting Irish will be broadcast on ESPN3. Head coach Ehren Earleywine's team has posted back-to-back 4-1 weekends. Mizzou went 5-0 at the Citrus Classic in 2014.
TIGER TALES
• Currently No. 20, the Tigers have been ranked in the Top 25 in both the USA Today/NCFA poll and the ESPN.com/USA softball every week for six seasons. Mizzou has been a Top 25 squad since June 10, 2008. That's 2,453 consecutive days.
• Mizzou takes on three Big Ten opponents this weekend at the Citrus Classic in Penn State, Maryland and No. 11/13 Minnesota. Since 2007, the Tigers are 19-6 against Big Ten teams.
• Mizzou's three pitchers, Tori Finucane, Paige Lowary and Cheyenne Baxter, have allowed only 12 combined earned runs in 10 games. The Tigers own a +31 run differential and are outscoring opponents 25-9 in innings five thru seven. Mizzou's four total saves lead the SEC.
• The Tigers have swiped 21 bases as a team on 22 attempts. Mizzou's first three hitters in the lineup are responsible for 19 of the squad's stolen bases. The Tigers' 1.74 steals per game tops the SEC and ranks 18th in the NCAA.
•Lowary is the first pitcher to win five consecutive decisions since Finucane won 11 straight last season during a dominant April run
•At the Mary Nutter Classic, Finucane split a pair of starts, but picked up two crucial saves to help Lowary and the Tigers shut the door in tight battles with Texas and Arizona. The saves were the first two of Finucane's career and has her tied for first in the SEC. Mizzou's four saves as a team tops the SEC.
•After posting a team ERA of 1.99 at the Mary Nutter Classic, the Tiger pitching staff now owns a 1.27 combined ERA through 10 games. Mizzou has the third lowest ERA in the SEC.
• Junior Taylor Gadbois has stolen 11 bases in 10 games to start the 2015 campaign. She has a team-high 16 hits and 12 runs scored, batting .485 to open the season. Gadbois swiped six bases on six attempts at the Mary Nutter Classic. With 63 steals in her career she has cracked Mizzou's all-time top 10 list in that category in just 76 starts.
• Junior 2B/C Sami Fagan had another productive weekend, as she hit .353 at the Nutter Classic (6-of-17), with a team-best five runs batted in and three runs scored. She hit a home run to key the win over Long Beach State and how has a team-best four dingers on the season.
THE FIELD
• Arguably the Tigers' toughest opponent of the weekend is No. 11/13 Minnesota. The Golden Gophers are 13-1 with the lone loss coming against UCF, who also edged Mizzou 1-0 on Feb. 14. Pitcher Sara Groenewegen is 7-1 with a 0.71 ERA in nine appearances. She has allowed only five earned runs.
• Mizzou will face James Madison on Saturday as well. JMU is 5-4 and receiving votes in both of the national polls. The Dukes are led by freshman Megan Good. Good has a team-best .448 OBP and .360 batting average. She also pitches, and has two wins in two starts in the circle so far this season.
• Mizzou's final opponent, Maryland, is 10-5 overall. The Terrapins have won four straight and seven of their last 10 contests. Sophomore Hannah Dewey is batting .465 with 20 hits, including four doubles, seven RBI and one home run.
