Mizzou Morning Matters
5/17/2024 11:35:00 AM | General, Softball
Hosting another NCAA Regional, Tigers softball primed for latest postseason run.
COLUMBIA, Mo. — What made Larissa Anderson so intriguing as a head-coaching candidate six years ago was her ability to develop a mid-major softball program that could compete on the sport's biggest stage. For years her fingerprints were all over Hofstra's program — the same mid-major team that won 24 NCAA Regional games during her time coaching the Pride.
It's become the Mizzou Model: Overachieve with fewer resources at the mid-major level to position yourself to thrive in a major conference.
Think about the best Mizzou coaches over the last couple decades who parlayed mid-major success into a greater opportunity — and greater success at Mizzou: Gary Pinkel (Toledo), Mike Anderson (UAB), Eliah Drinkwitz (Appalachian State) and Dawn Sullivan (UNLV) come to mind.
And now, another Anderson heads that class. Larissa's Tigers earned the No. 7 overall seed in the NCAA softball tournament, which of course means if the Tigers outlast the field in this weekend's four-team double-elimination Columbia Regional, we'll be right back at Mizzou Softball Stadium next week for the NCAA Super Regional.
With Anderson on staff from 2002-18, Hofstra made the NCAA postseason a dozen times over 17 seasons, including an NCAA Regional championship in 2012 that included a victory over powerhouse UCLA. As Hofstra's head coach, Anderson guided the program to two NCAA Regionals in four seasons. Anderson savored those opportunities to trade blows with the nation's best programs.
That's why she won't dare take for granted what's at stake this weekend. Following Friday's Indiana-Washington opener (2 p.m.), Anderson's Tigers host Omaha at approximately 4:30 p.m. The Omaha Mavericks (41-13) got here by winning the Summit League championship for the second straight year — and also own eight wins over Power Five programs the last two seasons.
"Ironically, it was 11 years ago today that my team at Hofstra ended up here at Mizzou to play the University of Missouri at old University Field," Anderson said this week. "So it brought back a lot of memories. Mid-majors know how to win because they have to win their conference tournament to get here. So they experience that thrill and that rush and that anxiety and excitement of playing in that championship game and holding up the trophy. A lot of Power Fives don't even get to experience that. We do because we've been in that (SEC) championship game, so we know what that feels like. But there's a ton of others that have never been there.
"We've already talked about that. We know that they're going to come in here and would like nothing better than to have a great outing and a great performance. So we have to immediately disrupt their comfort level and make them very uncomfortable by either the speed of the game, the intensity of the atmosphere, how hard we're playing, making great plays, getting on the board early. So then it diminishes their confidence. The more you let a mid-major team hang around the more they believe that they can actually win."
Anderson will see a familiar face across the diamond on Friday: Former Mizzou first baseman Emma Rabbe (2019-22) is an assistant coach for the Mavericks.
"I'm so proud of her — and I was proud of her when she was here," Anderson said. "She was one of those — not that I'd ever want to publicly admit this, but coaches do have favorite players — and Emma is one of those that always did the right thing. She was the vocal person, always gave you positive and constructive feedback, was always honest in her evaluation of the team and what we need to do as coaches. And I'm just so proud that she's now growing the game. It is in another dugout but it's about growing the game and what she's giving back to softball and what she's giving back to her players. I think it's really special for her to experience her first regional coaching at Mizzou. It's kind of like a full-circle moment. I know it's probably going to be emotional for her to be in that other dugout and then playing against her alma mater. But I'm so proud of what she's accomplished."
Here's the schedule for this weekend's Columbia Regional:
- Friday, May 17 - Game 1: 2 p.m., CT – Washington vs. Indiana | ESPN+
- Friday, May 17 - Game 2: 4:30 p.m., CT – Missouri vs. Omaha | SEC Network/ESPN+
- Saturday, May 18 - Game 3: 2 p.m., CT – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
- Saturday, May 18 - Game 4: 4:30 p.m., CT – Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
- Saturday, May 18 - Game 5: 7 p.m., CT – Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3
- Sunday, May 19 - Game 6: TBD – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
- Sunday, May 19 - Game 7: TBD – Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary)
CHASING HISTORY
Did you know Mizzou is three wins away from joining elite company when it comes to NCAA softball history? With three more victories, the Tigers will have 1,500 all-time — more than all but one current program in the Southeastern Conference and just nine others in the other major conferences. Here's how the all-time victory leaders rank heading into this year's postseason
Team (seasons)…W-L-T
1. UCLA (50)…2,150-499-5
2. Arizona (43)…1,951-597-3
3. Florida State (41)…1,945-637-8
4. Texas A&M (46)…1,890-827-2
5. Louisiana-Lafayette (44)…1,887-537-2
6. Oklahoma (40)…1,787-594-2
7. Michigan (40)…1,751-582-5
8. Cal State Fullerton (45)…1,744-914-6
9. Fresno State (39)…1,673-691-2
10. Oklahoma State (46)…1,639-851-3
11. North Carolina (48)…1,600-980-5
12. Minnesota (51)…1,558-1,041-6
13. CSUN (47)…1,539-1,006-11
14. South Florida (40)…1,518-814-1
15. Missouri (42)…1,497-815-0
MIZZOU STORYTELLERS
Brian Smith is all about changing standards at Mizzou - and on this week's "Mizzou Storytellers" he set a new bar with the longest, most expaninsive interivew in our young podcast's history. In the newest episode, Nikki Barry and I are joined by the master storyteller, the dean of Mizzou head coaches and the man behind "Tiger Style." Coach Smith details his journey from Long Island to South Florida to the Ivy League to Mizzou and all the stops in between that defined his climb as one of the greatest Mizzou coaches of all time. The son of a high school football coach who knew his destiny at a young age, Smith shares his memories on the earliest days of MU's championship program, the birth of "Tiger Style" and the breakthroughs that charted the program's path toward his upcoming 27th season at Mizzou.
Listen anywhere you find podcasts, including these options: Amazon, Apple and Spotify.
You can watch the episode on the Mizzou Athletics YouTube page below:
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Resident Mizzou historian Bob Brendel shared some nuggets from the archives this week.
May 17, 1938 – Miles' gem gives Tigers Big Six championship
Missouri entered the final weekend of the Big Six baseball season needing to beat first-place Oklahoma twice to claim its second consecutive conference championship. Charley Mason beat the Sooners 3-2 in the series opener to set up the showdown contest the next day at old Rollins Field. Sophomore left-hander Carl Miles drew the assignment and came within an eyelash of a perfect game. He retired the first 25 batters in a row, protecting a 1-0 lead. With one out in the ninth inning, OU pinch-hitter Sam Blackwell popped up in foul territory. Tigers' first baseman Jim Waechter made the catch among the spectators, but umpire W.I. McBride ruled it no catch – saying Waechter was out of play. Blackwell then singled – OU's only hit of the game – but Miles struck out the next two batters and MU was again the Big 6 champion. Miles signed a professional contract with the Philadelphia Athletics following the 1940 season.
May 17, 1975 – Missouri Men's Tennis wins its only conference championship
The Tigers delivered a Big Eight Conference tennis championship for second-year coach Bill Price. Missouri captured the first three singles championships and the top doubles championship to go along with two second-place finishes at No. 4 singles and No. 3 doubles. Missouri edged Oklahoma State 71-70. Individual Missouri champions were Jack Gorsuch (No. 1 singles), Tres Mitchell (No. 2 singles) and Brian Mitchell (No. 3 singles). Gorsuch and Tres Mitchell teamed to capture the No. 1 doubles spot. Rick Flach took second at No. 4 singles and Flach teamed with Scott Sims for second at No. 3 doubles.
TIGER TRIVIA
1. Nine Mizzou football and men's basketball head coaches also played their respective sport at Mizzou. How many can you name?
2. Softball's Taylor Pannell leads the country with 14 saves and is one away from setting the NCAA single-season record. When was the last time a Mizzou softball player led the country in an individual statistic?
LOOKING AHEAD
FRIDAY, May 17
Softball vs. Omaha, 4:30 p.m., NCAA Regional, SEC Network/ESPN+
Baseball at No. 18 Mississippi State, 3 p.m., SEC Network+ (Starkville, Mississippi)
SATURDAY, May 18
Baseball at No. 18 Mississippi State, 2 p.m., SEC Network+ (Starkville, Mississippi)
Softball Regional Game 3: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 2 p.m.
Softball Regional Game 4: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 4:30 p.m.
Softball Regional Game 5: Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3, 7 p.m.
SUNDAY, May 19
Softball Regional Game 6: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5, TBD
Softball Regional Game 7: Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary), TBD
WEDNESDAY, May 22
Track & Field at NCAA Championship Round One (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
THURSDAY, May 23
Track & Field at NCAA Championship Round One (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
FRIDAY, May 24
Track & Field at NCAA Championship Round One (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
SATURDAY, May 25
Track & Field at NCAA Championship Round One (Fayetteville, Arkansas)
TIGER TRIVIA
1: Football: Charles Young (1897), Don Faurot (1935-42, 1946-56), Woody Widenhofer (1985-88) and Barry Odom (2016-19). Men's basketball: Craig Ruby (1921-22), George Bond (1923-26), George Edwards (1927-46), Norm Stewart (1967-99) and Kim Anderson (2014-17).
2. In 2011, All-Big 12 pitcher Chelsea Thomas – later an All-SEC choice — led the country in ERA at 0.95. A decade later, MU's Emma Nichols shared the NCAA saves mark with seven.
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