COLUMBIA, Mo.- Mizzou Softball returns to Southeastern Conference action this weekend as the Tigers head on the road for the sixth consecutive weekend. Mizzou travels to Knoxville, Tenn., to take on the Tennessee Volunteers in a three-game set from March 20-22. Friday's game will be streamed on SEC Network+ and Saturday's game will be featured live on SEC Network.
| Game | Location | Day/Time (CT) | Media |
|---|---|---|---|
| vs. Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. | Friday // 5:30 p.m. CT | Live Stats |
| vs. Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. | Saturday // 7:30 p.m. CT | Live Stats |
| vs. Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. | Sunday // 12:30 p.m. CT | Live Stats |
- TIGER TALES
• Mizzou is coming off of a perfect 7-0 week to extend its winning streak to 11 games. Five of the seven wins came via run-rule, including each of the last three at the N.C. State Hyatt Place Invitational in Raleigh, N.C.
• The Tigers are coming off of an outstanding offensive performance in a 4-0 tournament this past weekend in Raleigh, N.C. as part of the N.C. State Hyatt Place Invitational. Mizzou's bats produced 42 runs in four games, for an average of 10.5 runs per outing. • For the tournament, Mizzou hit .391 as a team, had an on-base percentage of .496, and displayed a lethal combination of power (10 home runs, nine doubles) and speed (15 stolen bases) as the Tigers won three of their four contests by run rule.
• Mizzou has blasted its way to success lately, pummeling 19 home runs in its last 11 games. The Tigers tied the school record with five home runs vs. Longwood. Sophomore Kirsten Mack hit two HRs herself in the rout and senior Alyssa Cousins added her first career dinger.
• The Tigers have swiped 51 bases as a team on 54 attempts. Mizzou's first three hitters in the lineup are responsible for 41 of the squad's stolen bases. The Tigers 51 swipes ranks fourth in the SEC despite the team playing only 22 games.
• Mizzou's staff ERA of 1.70 is 4th-best in the SEC of date, and the eight opponent home runs off of Tiger pitchers thru March 15th is the second-lowest total in the league (Kentucky with six).
• Freshman Paige Lowary is perhaps on her way to giving the Tigers another SEC Freshman of the Year, as she's been outstanding in her first collegiate season. The lefty flame-thrower is more of a power pitcher, as she averages more than one strikeout per inning (59 Ks in 54.1 innings).
• Sophomore pitcher Tori Finucane has won seven of her last eight decisions since starting the season 2-2 in the circle. The Tiger ace has never faced Tennessee.
• Finucane was 11-2 in 2014 in SEC regular-season games, including a perfect 8-0 on Friday evening starts. She picked up two wins in the 2015 SEC opening-series two weekends ago at South Carolina, upping her career SEC conference-game record to 13-2.
• Last week, senior Kelsea Roth rounded into form as she went 9-for-17 in seven games (.529), to raise her season average all the way up to .298 heading into this week. Her production was even more critical, as she drove in 10 runs, scored nine times, hit four home runs, and added one double and six walks to the ledger.
• Roth is now alone at sixth all-time in school history with 35 career home runs and tied for sixth all-time with 84 walks.
• With four more road games on tap this week, this will mark the sixth consecutive weekend that the Tigers have been on the road for a tournament or series. Mizzou has played just two home games thus far (sweeping SEMO last Wednesday in a home-opening double-header by scores of 2-1 and 10-1 in five innings), and when this weekend is complete, they'll have played 23 of their first 25 games away from home.
• Being away from the friendly confines of University Field hasn't impacted Coach Ehren Earleywine's squad, as they are 17-3 overall away from home, including 4-0 in true road games. The Tigers completed a road sweep at South Carolina two weekends ago to open SEC play (4-2 Sat./9-3 Sun./8-0 in 5 innings Mon.) and a secured single tourney win at No. 25 North Carolina State this past Sunday (13-3 in 5 innings).
• Junior Emily Crane went 4-for-4 at the plate against No. 25 N.C. State. She collected four hits, including two doubles, and tied the school record for runs scored in a single game with four. The record is also held by current Mizzou assistant coach, Gina Schneider.
• If Crane's career ended today, she would hold the school record for career OBP with a .452.
- THE OPPONENT
• The Volunteers are 19-6 on the season and are currently ranked No. 14/19 in the country. Tennessee dropped two of three to open its SEC slate at South Carolina, but boast wins over No. 8 Florida State and No. 23 Notre Dame.
• Tennessee has nine hitters batting .300 or better. Sophomore Shaliyah Geathers leads the pack, starting all 25 games for the Volunteers in the outfield and owning a .382 batting average. She has a team-high 26 hits with six doubles and a home run.
• The Volunteers have a balanced pitching staff as both Erin Gabriel and Gretchen Aucoin have started 11 games. Gabriel is 9-2 with a 2.06 ERA in 54.1 innings of work. Opposing hitters are batting a combined .184 against the pair of hurlers.
• Mizzou leads the all-time series with Tennessee 3-1. The only time the two have met since the Tigers moved to the SEC was in 2013 when Mizzou took two of two.
