University of Missouri
Jacksonville State
No. 12 @MizzouSoftball Opens 2016 Season at Citrus Classic
2/16/2016 11:32:00 AM | Softball
Tigers will play six games in three days in season opening set
| GAME | LOCATION | DAY // TIME | LIVE STATS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jacksonville State | Kissimmee, Fla. | Friday, Feb. 19 // 12:15 pm (CT) | Stats |
| Elon | Kissimmee, Fla. | Friday, Feb. 19 // 4:45 pm (CT) | Stats |
| UAB | Kissimmee, Fla. | Saturday, Feb. 20 // 2:30 pm (CT) | Stats |
| College of Charleston | Kissimmee, Fla. | Saturday, Feb. 20 // 4:45 pm (CT) | Stats |
| Stephen F. Austin | Kissimmee, Fla. | Sunday, Feb. 21 // 9 am (CT) | Stats |
| Stetson | Kissimmee, Fla. | Sunday, Feb. 21 // 11:15 am (CT) | Stats |
COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 12 Mizzou Softball kicks off its 2016 campaign on Friday, Feb. 19, at the Citrus Classic in Kissimmee, Fla. The Tigers will play six games in three days at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
Mizzou begins play on Friday against Jacksonville State at 12:15 p.m. (CT). Later that evening, the Tigers square off against Elon at 4:45 p.m. (CT). Saturday brings a pair of contests with UAB at 2:30 p.m. (CT) and College of Charleston at 4:45 p.m. (CT). The Tigers close out their opening weekend on Sunday with matchups against Stephen F. Austin at 9 a.m. (CT) and Stetson at 11:15 a.m. (CT).
Fans can follow each game online at Mizzou.StatBroadcast.com and on Twitter (@MizzouSoftball).
TIGER SENIOR TRIO
- The 2015 Mizzou squad took home its seventh NCAA Regional Championship under head coach Ehren Earleywine. The Tigers were led by a record-breaking offense that produced a .320 team average, 395 runs scored and 355 RBIs (all ranking first in program single-season history)
- At the top of the order throughout last season was a trio of budding junior Tiger hitters. Emily Crane, Sami Fagan and Taylor Gadbois provided Coach Earleywine with one of the most productive triumvirates in the nation.
- Collectively, the three Tigers put up off-the-charts numbers a season ago. At the plate, Crane, Fagan and Gadbois produced a .359 (194-for-540) average, 16 HR and 99 RBIs slash line while also adding 161 runs scored, 22 doubles and five triples. The talented trio also made an impact on the base paths as they were an incredible 84-for-88 (.955) collectively in stolen bases.
- Heading into their senior campaigns, the trio have already etcher their names across the Mizzou Softball records books. Currently, Crane ranks second in all-time average (.375), Gadbois ranks third (.366) while Fagan ranks fourth (.362).
- Other all-time ranking highlights for Fagan include 10th in hits (200), ninth in runs scored (145) and eighth in RBIs (137). Additionally, Gadbois currently sits in third place in all-time stolen bases (92).
1-2 PUNCH IN THE CIRCLE
- Mizzou's pitching staff is led by the successful duo of Paige Lowary and Tori Finucane. Lowary made an instant impact in her first year, posting an 18-7 record with a 3.40 ERA and 164 strikeouts. The strong Tiger debut earned her 2015 Freshman All-SEC honors. Additionally, Lowary earned national accolades as she was named to the 2016 USA Softball Women's Elite Team this past January.
- In her first two seasons at Mizzou, Finucane possesses a strong 42-14 (.750) career record, 2.31 ERA and 308 strikeouts. The outstanding .750 career winning percentage currently ranks fifth-highest in program history.
SANCHEZ & MACK LEAD THE POWER BRIGADE
- Last season, Mizzou slugged 79 home runs, ranking second-most in program history. Four Tigers recorded double-digit long balls, including sophomore Amanda Sanchez and junior Kirsten Mack.
- In her first-year campaign, Sanchez had a big year overall at the plate, tallying a .347 average, 14 home runs and 56 RBIs. Mack stepped up in a big way in her second season, posting a team-high 15 home runs along with 48 RBIs as the team's primary catcher.
- The 2016 Mizzou Softball lineup will once again be loaded from top to bottom, as Coach Earleywine forecasts another productive display from the slew of powerful bats. Three of the Tigers' top four power producers from a season ago return in 2016, including the addition of powerful bats in freshman Rylee Pierce and junior transfer Chloe Rathburn.
- Tiger fans can also expect increased power displays from Crane, junior Natalie Fleming and sophomore Morgan Walters as the trio looks to add more punch to the lineup.
TIGERS RANKED YET AGAIN
- Mizzou enters the 2016 campaign with the No. 15 spot in the preseason USA Today / NFCA Division I poll while garnering the No. 12 slot in the preseason ESPN.com / USA Softball poll.
- For the past seven seasons, Mizzou has been ranked in each of the major Top 25 polls every single week. Beginning with the final 2008 rankings up through the current preseason rankings, the Tigers have continually been slotted among the nation's best.
Visit MUTigers.com for the latest information on all things Mizzou Softball. You can also find the Tigers on social media by liking us on Facebook (University of Missouri Softball Team) and following us on Twitter and Instagram (@MizzouSoftball).
