Sophomore pitcher Cierra Harrison tossed a no-hitter in Game 1. (Photo courtesy: Mizzou Athletics)
Paige Dale
Staff Writer
DENTON, TX — The University of Missouri softball team continued its perfect start to the 2024 season by winning its first two games on Day 1 of the Tracy Beard Classic, Friday morning and evening at Lovelace Stadium.
Missouri defeated Texas A&M-Commerce, 1-0, in Game 1. Then held on late to defeat South Dakota State, 4-3, in Game 2.
The Tigers are now 7-0, which is the team’s best start to a season since 2020, when Missouri won its first nine games to begin the year.
No. 14 Mizzou 1, Texas A&M-Commerce 0
| NCAA Softball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas A&M-Commerce (4-3) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| #14 Missouri (6-0) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 1 | 0 | 0 |
WP: Cierra Harrison – MU (3-0) LP: Julia Sanchez – TAMC (2-2)
Cierra Harrison registered her first career no-hitter as Mizzou opened North Texas’ Tracy Beard College Classic with a 1-0 victory over Texas A&M-Commerce.
The no-hitter marked the first for Mizzou since the 2023 series opener with North Texas on April 21, 2023, where senior Laurin Krings compiled the feat.
In that 2023 no-hitter, catcher Julia Crenshaw also was the battery mate and provided the game-winning run on a homer. Crenshaw tallied an RBI sacrifice fly Friday to propel Mizzou past Texas A&M-Commerce.
Harrison’s no-hitter Friday featured her first career seven-inning shutout, and matched a career-high eight strikeouts, a mark she had previously reached twice.
The no-hitter was also the 47th in Mizzou program history.
On the offensive side, Missouri jumped ahead early in the first as senior Jenna Laird drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third with a pair of stolen bases, setting up Crenshaw’s RBI sacrifice fly to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead they would not relinquish.
Laird finished with a career-best tying three stolen bases.
Harrison retired seven-straight batters to open the game including four consecutive strikeouts before allowing a walk in the third inning. She then wrapped the frame with a fielder’s choice and a foul out.
Harrison continued to deal, retiring 11-straight batters to head into the seventh. After Harrison hit a Lion with a pitch, Crenshaw rifled a strike to second to catch Ashlynn Griffith stealing.
Harrison then concluded the contest with a groundout before her eighth strikeout of the day.
Texas A&M-Commerce’s Julia Sanchez also posted a no-hitter, with her only blemish being Crenshaw’s RBI sacrifice fly.
No. 14 Mizzou 4, South Dakota State 3
| NCAA Softball | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #14 Missouri (7-0) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| South Dakota State (4-3) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 3 |
WP: Laurin Krings – MU (4-0) LP: Tori Kniesche – SDSU (2-2) SV: Taylor Pannell – MU (1)
Mizzou opened game two with back-to-back singles from Jenna Laird and Alex Honnold. RBIs from Julia Crenshaw (sacrifice fly) and Madison Walker would bring both in to score, giving the Tigers an early 2-0 advantage.
South Dakota State would begin to cut into the Tiger lead, using an RBI single in the first and another in the third to tie the game at two after three frames.
MU would quickly regain the lead, capitalizing on its opponent’s mistakes to load the bases with a fielding error and a pair of walks. Kayley Lenger, in her second collegiate start, would use a hit-by-pitch to record an RBI, before a fielder’s choice would score another, putting Mizzou back in the driver’s seat, 4-2.
In the bottom of the fourth, Laurin Krings would face a jam early, with two Jackrabbits on and no outs. The senior from Loveland, Colorado, then coaxed three outs from the next three batters to escape the inning with the lead intact.
SDSU then scratched across another in the bottom of the sixth with Nathalie Touchet in the circle, but runners on first and third with two outs wouldn’t be too much for the freshman in her collegiate debut, as she sat down the Jackrabbits’ Cheyanne Masterson to move to the seventh with Mizzou leading, 4-3.
Taylor Pannell then came in for the seventh to close out the game with a one-run lead. The Tiger pitching staff came up clutch again, as Pannell struck out the last two batters with the game-tying run in scoring position, securing the 4-3 Tiger victory.
Mizzou will play two more games on Saturday, beginning with an 11 a.m. game against South Dakota State. After that, the Tigers will play event host’s North Texas in a game at 1:30 p.m.
The event will conclude with a Sunday morning rematch game between Missouri and North Texas. First pitch for that matchup is set for 11 a.m.
