Kara Daly gets a high-five from head coach Larissa Anderson after hitting a three-run homer in Mizzou’s doubleheader sweep over Illinois on Wednesday. (Photo: Mizzou Photo)

Paige Dale
Staff Writer

CHAMPAIGN, IL — The No. 11 University of Missouri softball team used a pair of clutch home runs to carry itself to a doubleheader sweep over Illinois in the annual Braggin’ Rights matchup, Wednesday at Eichelberger Field.

In Game 1, Alex Honnold turned a 4-3 seventh inning deficit into a 5-4 Missouri win, when she blasted her third homer of the season. And then in Game 2, Kara Daly hit a three-run shot in the top of the first to Mizzou ahead in a game it would eventually win by run-rule, 10-2.

The Tigers are now 22-3 on the season, which is the program’s best start since Mizzou went 22-2 to begin the 2013 season.

#11 Missouri 5, Illinois 4

NCAA Softball	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
#11 Missouri (21-3)	0	0	0	1	2	0	2	5	8	0
Illinois (8-10)	0	0	0	1	3	0	0	4	12	1

WP: Lilly Whitten – MIZ (3-0) LP: Tori McQueen – ILL (5-4) SV: Taylor Pannell – MIZ (3)

Mizzou took the lead two different times midway through Game 1, but Illinois rallied back both times.

The Tigers took their first lead in the fourth inning, when Honnold led off with a single, then reached third on an error by the Illini. She would later score on a groundout by Katie Chester to make it 1-0 Mizzou.

Illinois answered with a pair of basehits and a sacrifice fly to tie the score at 1.

Missouri scored twice in the top of the fifth, thanks to a bunt single by Chantice Phillips and an RBI hit by Jenna Laird. Honnold came up huge again, with a double to score Laird and put the Tigers up 3-1.

The Illini answered back again though, with a three-run homer by Stevie Meade that put the home team up 4-3.

That only set the stage for Honnold’s heroics in the seventh. First though, with two outs, Laird singled to put the tying run on base. Honnold then came up and blasted an opposite field shot over the left field wall to put the Tigers up 5-4.

Closer Taylor Pannell got the final three outs to get the save. Lilly Whitten was the pitcher of record when Mizzou got the lead, so she got the win. Her record for the season is now 3-0.

#11 Missouri 10, Illinois 2

NCAA Softball	1	2	3	4	5	R	H	E
#11 Missouri (22-3)	3	0	1	0	6	10	11	1
Illinois (8-11)	0	0	2	0	0	2	4	1

WP: Cierra Harrison – MIZ (8-0) LP: Briana Bower – ILL (1-3)

In Game 2, Daly’s blast gave Mizzou an early 3-0 lead. Maddie Gallagher added an RBI single in the third to increase the Mizzou lead to 4-0.

The Illini cut the deficit to two in the bottom half of the third with a two-run homer from Kelly Ryono.

Mizzou then wrapped the contest with a six-run fifth to secure the run-rule victory.

Gallagher commenced the scoring with an RBI infield single before Katie Chester knocked a two-run double to widen the margin to 7-2.

Freshman Madison Walker followed with a two-run single before Laird added an RBI single for a 10-2 lead.

Cierra Harrison notched another complete-game victory — her fourth of the season — to improve her personal record to 8-0.

Alex Honnold had five hits, three RBIs, and scored five runs in the two Mizzou victories.

The Tigers will now move back into SEC conference play this weekend, when they’ll travel to Knoxville to play a three-game series against No. 8-ranked Tennessee.

MISSOURI TIGERS 2024 WOMEN’S SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

Date	Time	At	Opponent	Location	TV
March 15, 2024 (Friday)	5 p.m.	Away	8 Tennessee	Knoxville, Tenn.
March 16, 2024 (Saturday)	1 p.m.	Away	8 Tennessee	Knoxville, Tenn.
March 17, 2024 (Sunday)	12:30 p.m.	Away	8 Tennessee	Knoxville, Tenn.
March 20, 2024 (Wednesday)	5 p.m.	Away	Kansas	Lawrence, Kan.
March 22, 2024 (Friday)	5 p.m.	Home	14 LSU	Mizzou Softball Stadium
March 23, 2024 (Saturday)	2 p.m.	Home	14 LSU	Mizzou Softball Stadium
March 24, 2024 (Sunday)	1 p.m.	Home	14 LSU	Mizzou Softball Stadium
March 26, 2024 (Tuesday)	1 p.m.	Neutral	Fordham	Hempstead, N.Y.
March 26, 2024 (Tuesday)	3:30 p.m.	Away	Hofstra	Hempstead, N.Y.
March 28, 2024 (Thursday)	3 p.m.	Away	George Mason	Fairfax, Va.
March 30, 2024 (Saturday)	9 a.m.	Away	Villanova	Villanova, Pa.
April 3, 2024 (Wednesday)	4 p.m.	Home	Southeast Missouri	Mizzou Softball Stadium
April 3, 2024 (Wednesday)	6:30 p.m.	Home	Southeast Missouri	Mizzou Softball Stadium
April 5, 2024 (Friday)	5 p.m.	Away	16 Arkansas	Fayetteville, Ark.
April 6, 2024 (Saturday)	Noon	Away	16 Arkansas	Fayetteville, Ark.
April 7, 2024 (Sunday)	2 p.m.	Away	16 Arkansas	Fayetteville, Ark.
April 10, 2024 (Wednesday)	4 p.m.	Away	Drake	Des Moines, Iowa
April 12, 2024 (Friday)	5 p.m.	Home	17 Florida	Mizzou Softball Stadium
April 13, 2024 (Saturday)	12:30 p.m.	Home	17 Florida	Mizzou Softball Stadium
April 14, 2024 (Sunday)	2 p.m.	Home	17 Florida	Mizzou Softball Stadium
April 17, 2024 (Wednesday)	5 p.m.	Home	SIU-Edwardsville	Mizzou Softball Stadium
April 19, 2024 (Friday)	5 p.m.	Away	6 Georgia	Athens, Ga.
April 20, 2024 (Saturday)	1 p.m.	Away	6 Georgia	Athens, Ga.
April 21, 2024 (Sunday)	1 p.m.	Away	6 Georgia	Athens, Ga.
April 27, 2024 (Saturday)	8 p.m.	Home	Mississippi State	Mizzou Softball Stadium
April 28, 2024 (Sunday)	5 p.m.	Home	Mississippi State	Mizzou Softball Stadium
April 29, 2024 (Monday)	6 p.m.	Home	Mississippi State	Mizzou Softball Stadium
May 3, 2024 (Friday)	5 p.m.	Away	23 South Carolina	Columbia, S.C.
May 4, 2024 (Saturday)	5 p.m.	Away	23 South Carolina	Columbia, S.C.
May 5, 2024 (Sunday)	2 p.m.	Away	23 South Carolina	Columbia, S.C.
May 7, 2024 (Tuesday)	TBA	Neutral	SEC Tournament	Auburn, Ala.