The Missouri Tigers are 20-3 after winning two of three against Auburn over the weekend. (Photo: Terrance Williams)

Mizzou Softball – Gameday Info
Games No. 24-25 — #11 Missouri Tigers (20-3) at Illinois (7-9)
Date/Time – Game 1 – March 13, 2024 – 1 pm
Date/Time – Game 2 – March 13, 2024 – 3:30 pm
Location – Eichelberger Field — Champaign, IL
Broadcast — Big 10 Network+
Live Stats – Stat Broadcast

Paige Dale
Staff Writer

CHAMPAIGN, IL — The No. 11-ranked University of Missouri softball team hits the road this week for what figures to be a set of tough games against rival Illinois and then this weekend against No. 8 Tennessee.

The action will begin on Wednesday with the annual Braggin’ Rights matchup between Missouri and Illinois. This year, the Tigers and Fighting Illini will play a doubleheader at Illinois’ Eichelberger Field.

Game 1 is set for 1 p.m., with the nightcap scheduled for 3:30 p.m.

Mizzou enters the week on the heels of its first SEC series win over #25/25 Auburn, claiming a pair of victories over the visiting Tigers to open the 2024 home slate at Mizzou Softball Stadium.

Missouri began the 2024 campaign 10-0 and notched perfect preseason tournament weekends three out of the four times.

The Tigers 20-3 record is the best start for Missouri since the Tigers opened the 2013 campaign 22-2 en route to a 38-14 finish.

Mizzou is ranked in all four polls heading into the weekend after first appearing following week one (Feb. 13). The Tigers enter the fifth week of the season #11 in both the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll, and ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll. Mizzou is also #11 and #12 in the Softball America and D1Softball polls, respectively.

ILLINOIS SERIES HISTORY

  • The Tigers lead the overall series against the Fighting Illini, 14-4. Head coach Larissa Anderson is 6-1 in her career against Illinois. 
  • During the 2023 campaign, Missouri pulled off a doubleheader sweep over Illinois at Mizzou Softball Stadium on March 14. The Tigers defeated the Illini 3-2 in the opener, before taking Game 2 of the doubleheader 7-0. 
  • Mizzou last faced off with Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, Illinois, during the 2022 campaign, as the Tigers took a pair of games off Illinois, coming away with 7-6 (eight innings) and 10-2 (five innings) victories on March 16.  

QUICK HITTERS

  • The Tigers head into the second week of SEC play with a 20-3 record (2-1 SEC). 
  • The Tigers 20-3 record is the best start for Missouri since the Tigers opened the 2013 campaign 22-2 en route to a 38-14 finish. 
  • Mizzou is ranked in all four polls heading into the weekend after first appearing following week one (Feb. 13). The Tigers enter the fifth week of the season #11 in both the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll, and ESPN.com/USA Softball Poll. Mizzou is also #11 and #12 in the Softball America and D1Softball polls, respectively.
  • Missouri is ranked sixth (third highest SEC school) in this week’s RPI (Ratings Power Index).
  • Alex Honnold has registered a team-best hitting streak of 12 games.
  • Maddie Gallagher has registered a team-best 15 game reached base streak. She ranks eighth in the SEC with a .514 on-base percentage to go with six doubles.
  • Jenna Laird is currently on a nine-game reached base streak (seven-game hitting streak).
  • The one-two punch of Laurin Krings and Cierra Harrison have combined for 15 wins in the circle with 8-3 and 7-0 records, respectively. 
  • Alex Honnold paces the Tigers with a .403 batting average in the two-hole to go with 21 runs, 16 RBI, 10 doubles (first in SEC) and a .653 slugging percentage. 
  • Along with Honnold, five Tigers are batting over .300 in Jenna Laird (.397, 28 runs, 11 RBI), Maddie Gallagher (.327, six doubles, 12 RBI, 15 runs), Katie Chester (.313, team-high three home runs, 17 RBI, .563 slugging percentage) and nine-hole hitter Kayley Lenger (.343, .543 slugging percentage).
  • Mya Dodge is six runs away from 100 in her collegiate career.
  • Jenna Laird (99) Alex Honnold (97) are both knocking on the door of 100 career RBI.
  • Laurin Krings is two wins away from 50 in her career at Mizzou. With 51 wins, she will enter the program’s top 10. 

CIERRA IN THE CIRCLE

  • Cierra Harrison registered two complete-game shutouts to go 2-0 this past week. Harrison pitched 14.0 innings, allowing no runs on seven hits with 19 strikeouts over the week. She limited opposing hitters to a batting average of .143. 
  • Harrison, a Lee’s Summit native, held UMKC to just two hits, allowing zero earned runs and throwing a career-best 10 strikeouts in her backyard during the midweek (March 6) for the complete-game shutout.
  • She then posted her second-straight complete-game shutout of the week in her 2024 SEC debut against No. 25/25 Auburn on March 9. Harrison limited the visiting Tigers to no runs on five hits with nine strikeouts. 
  • In 2024, Harrison paces Mizzou with a 7-0 record, a 1.10 ERA and three complete-game shutouts.
  • Harrison currently ranks eighth in the SEC for ERA and eighth in the conference with 3.58 hits allowed per seven innings. She is also eighth in the league with 1.37 walks allowed per seven innings. 

MISSOURI TIGERS 2024 WOMEN’S SOFTBALL SCHEDULE

DateTimeAtOpponentLocationTV
March 13, 2024 (Wednesday)1 p.m.AwayIllinoisUrbana-Champaign, Ill.
March 13, 2024 (Wednesday)3:30 p.m.AwayIllinoisUrbana-Champaign, Ill.
March 15, 2024 (Friday)5 p.m.Away8 TennesseeKnoxville, Tenn.
March 16, 2024 (Saturday)1 p.m.Away8 TennesseeKnoxville, Tenn.
March 17, 2024 (Sunday)12:30 p.m.Away8 TennesseeKnoxville, Tenn.
March 20, 2024 (Wednesday)5 p.m.AwayKansasLawrence, Kan.
March 22, 2024 (Friday)5 p.m.Home14 LSUMizzou Softball Stadium
March 23, 2024 (Saturday)2 p.m.Home14 LSUMizzou Softball Stadium
March 24, 2024 (Sunday)1 p.m.Home14 LSUMizzou Softball Stadium
March 26, 2024 (Tuesday)1 p.m.NeutralFordhamHempstead, N.Y.
March 26, 2024 (Tuesday)3:30 p.m.AwayHofstraHempstead, N.Y.
March 28, 2024 (Thursday)3 p.m.AwayGeorge MasonFairfax, Va.
March 30, 2024 (Saturday)9 a.m.AwayVillanovaVillanova, Pa.
April 3, 2024 (Wednesday)4 p.m.HomeSoutheast MissouriMizzou Softball Stadium
April 3, 2024 (Wednesday)6:30 p.m.HomeSoutheast MissouriMizzou Softball Stadium
April 5, 2024 (Friday)5 p.m.Away16 ArkansasFayetteville, Ark.
April 6, 2024 (Saturday)NoonAway16 ArkansasFayetteville, Ark.
April 7, 2024 (Sunday)2 p.m.Away16 ArkansasFayetteville, Ark.
April 10, 2024 (Wednesday)4 p.m.AwayDrakeDes Moines, Iowa
April 12, 2024 (Friday)5 p.m.Home17 FloridaMizzou Softball Stadium
April 13, 2024 (Saturday)12:30 p.m.Home17 FloridaMizzou Softball Stadium
April 14, 2024 (Sunday)2 p.m.Home17 FloridaMizzou Softball Stadium
April 17, 2024 (Wednesday)5 p.m.HomeSIU-EdwardsvilleMizzou Softball Stadium
April 19, 2024 (Friday)5 p.m.Away6 GeorgiaAthens, Ga.
April 20, 2024 (Saturday)1 p.m.Away6 GeorgiaAthens, Ga.
April 21, 2024 (Sunday)1 p.m.Away6 GeorgiaAthens, Ga.
April 27, 2024 (Saturday)8 p.m.HomeMississippi StateMizzou Softball Stadium
April 28, 2024 (Sunday)5 p.m.HomeMississippi StateMizzou Softball Stadium
April 29, 2024 (Monday)6 p.m.HomeMississippi StateMizzou Softball Stadium
May 3, 2024 (Friday)5 p.m.Away23 South CarolinaColumbia, S.C.
May 4, 2024 (Saturday)5 p.m.Away23 South CarolinaColumbia, S.C.
May 5, 2024 (Sunday)2 p.m.Away23 South CarolinaColumbia, S.C.
May 7, 2024 (Tuesday)TBANeutralSEC TournamentAuburn, Ala.