The Missouri Tigers celebrate Friday’s win over Auburn. (Photo courtesy: Mizzou Photo)
| NCAA Softball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #25 Auburn (12-3-1, 0-1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| #12 Mizzou (19-2, 1-0) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | X | 5 | 8 | 1 |
WP: Laurin Krings – MIZ (8-2) LP: Maddie Penta – AUB (6-3)
Paige Dale
Staff Writer
COLUMBIA, MO — Julia Crenshaw blasted a three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth inning and ace starter Laurin Krings pitched a complete game to lead the No. 12-ranked University of Missouri softball team to a 5-2 win Friday night in its SEC league opener over No. 25 Auburn.
It was the second long ball of the night for Missouri, which got its other runs on a two-run shot by Kara Daly in the bottom of the first.
Krings (8-2) made those tallies stand up, as she went all seven innings and allowed just two runs on two hits and two walks. The junior righthander from Loveland, Colo., also struck out nine to help lead Mizzou to its sixth straight win.
Daly got the evening started, when she launched a deep home run over the left field wall off Auburn starter Maddie Penta (6-3). It was Daly’s third homer of the season and it came with two outs after Alex Honnold reached on an error.
Auburn tied the game in the top of the fourth, with a leadoff walk by Makayla Packer, an RBI double by Amelia Lech, and an RBI single by Nelia Peralta.
Mizzou got its game-winning rally started with one out in the fifth. Jenna Laird lined a single to center and Honnold followed by getting hit by a pitch.
Laird stole third to put runners on the corners, but Crenshaw made sure everyone scored when she ripped a deep shot over the left field wall to put the Tigers up 5-2. It was Crenshaw’s first homer of the season and raised her team-leading RBI total to 22.
Krings set Auburn down, three-up three-down in the sixth and seventh innings to close out the game with no drama.
Missouri is now 19-2 on the season, while Auburn fell to 12-3-1.
The teams will continue their three-game set on Saturday at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.
SCORING SUMMARY
| Logo | Team | Inning | Play Description | AUB | MIZ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | MIZ | 1st | Daly (3) homered to left field, 2 RBI, unearned (0-1); Honnold scored, unearned. | 0 | 2 |
 | AUB | 4th | A. Lech doubled to left center, RBI (0-0); M. Packer scored. | 1 | 2 |
| AUB | 4th | N. Peralta singled, advanced to second on the throw, RBI (0-0); R. McNemar scored. | 2 | 2 |
| MIZ | 5th | Crenshaw (1) homered to left field, 3 RBI (2-1); Honnold scored; Laird scored. | 2 | 5 |
MISSOURI TIGERS 2024 WOMEN’S SOFTBALL SCHEDULE
| Date | Time | At | Opponent | Location | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 9, 2024 (Saturday) | 2 p.m. | Home | 25 Auburn | Mizzou Softball Stadium |  |
| March 10, 2024 (Sunday) | Noon | Home | 25 Auburn | Mizzou Softball Stadium | |
| March 13, 2024 (Wednesday) | 1 p.m. | Away | Illinois | Urbana-Champaign, Ill. | |
| March 13, 2024 (Wednesday) | 3:30 p.m. | Away | Illinois | Urbana-Champaign, Ill. | |
| March 15, 2024 (Friday) | 5 p.m. | Away | 5 Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. | |
| March 16, 2024 (Saturday) | 1 p.m. | Away | 5 Tennessee | Knoxville, Tenn. | |
| March 17, 2024 (Sunday) | 12:30 p.m. | Away | 5 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. |