Honnold and Crenshaw Power No. 23 Softball Past No. 20/20 UCF, 11-8, Wednesday

Wednesday, February 15

Orlando, Fla.

5:00 PM

University of Missouri

4-2

20/20 UCF

3-2

Missouri

UCF

Honnold and Crenshaw Power No. 23 Softball Past No. 20/20 UCF, 11-8, Wednesday

2/15/2023 10:55:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Final Statistics (PDF)

ORLANDO, Fla. – Alex Honnold and Julia Crenshaw both belted home runs to power the No. 23 Missouri Softball program (4-2) past No. 20/20 UCF (3-2), 11-8, in a battle of top-25 programs Wednesday night at the UCF Softball Complex.

The Tigers utilized a five-run third inning and a four-run fifth in the victory. Crenshaw slammed a two-run homer to punctuate the third while Honnold crushed a three-run blast in the fifth to outlast the Knights.

Honnold, a junior center fielder from West Des Moines, Iowa, was 2-for-2 with four RBI, three runs and a double to complement her home run.

Crenshaw, a sophomore second baseman who hails from O'Fallon, Missouri, was 2-for-4 at the dish with three RBI and two hits (double and home run).

UCF scored in every inning Wednesday including two in the fifth frame.

Jada Cody provided the Knights an early 1-0 lead with a solo shot to center in the bottom of the first.

Mizzou evened the contest at 1-1 the following inning. Kara Daly knocked a one-out double off the right field wall before heading to third on a wild pitch. Designated player Katie Chester then brought Daly home with a RBI groundout to third.

Trailing 2-1, the Tigers offense erupted for five runs in the third. Megan Moll led off with a walk before moving to second on a passed ball.

Jenna Laird and Honnold then compiled consecutive RBI doubles before Crenshaw's second roundtripper of the season.

Chester then singled to left field to score pinch runner Hannah McGivern for a 6-2 edge.

The Knights would cut the advantage in half with a RBI groundout.

Crenshaw then doubled home Honnold in the fourth before the Tigers put up a four-spot in the fifth inning.

Sarah Willis recorded a solo shot to center to bring the Tigers lead to 7-4 as Mizzou regrew its margin to 11-4 in the top of the fifth.

Laird then batted a RBI single to center to score pinch runner Kayley Lenger before Honnold's three-run shot.

The Knights clawed as close as 11-8, adding home runs in the fifth (two-run), sixth and seventh innings Wednesday.

Starting pitcher Laurin Krings earned the win in the circle, allowing just three earned runs on seven hits. The win was the second of the season for Krings. She registered three strikeouts in her second-straight appearance this season.

Cierra Harrison and Taylor Pannell both came on in relief for the Tigers.

Harrison allowed four runs on five hits. She struck out the final three batters she faced in the sixth.

Pannell was efficient in the seventh, picking up the save on four pitches.

NOTES

Jenna Laird (2-for-4), Alex Honnold (2-for-2, matched season best), Julia Crenshaw (2-for-4, matched career best) and Kara Daly (2-for-4, matched career best) each had two hits in the victory.
Laurin Krings picked up her 29th career victory as a Tiger.
Alex Honnold's four RBI matches a personal best.
Katie Chester made her second career start at Mizzou, finishing with a personal best two RBI with one hit.
Jenna Laird, Alex Honnold, Julia Crenshaw, and Kara Daly each had a double Wednesday. It marked the first time that the Tigers had registered four doubles as a team since Missouri's game against St. Thomas on March 4, 2022.
Alex Honnold and Julia Crenshaw have now matched or surpassed their career-high of home runs in a season. Crenshaw had one in 2022 while Honnold tied her two from the past season.
Mizzou has now scored in double-digits in three of its four wins in 2023.
Freshman Cierra Harrison made her third appearance of the season, first out of the bullpen.
Taylor Pannell picked up her first career save in the win Wednesday.
UCF is Mizzou's second top-25 victory of the season.
Pinch runner Kayley Lenger scored her first career run at Mizzou while pinch runner Hannah McGivern notched her first run of the season.
Maddie Snider made her first start (third in her career) of the season in left field.