Emptying the notebook on the UMASSacre.

After sleeping on the 45-3 result, it I feel a little bit bad for UMASS. They got to host their first SEC opponent in program history on national TV and got utterly dominated. It’s a little like going over to an acquaintance’s house and coming down with the bubble guts. You have no choice but to absolutely wreck their john. Any port in a storm, and so on. You still feel bad about it, though, as you try and sneak out as unobtrusively as possible. Anyway, sorry for the clogged commode, UMASS. Hope you’ve got a good plumber.

I posted my five biggest takeaways from the beat down of UMASS immediately following the game, but have a few more thoughts following the game I thought I’d drop on you as well.

Let’s empty the notebook:

Spare Thoughts:

• Brady Cook designed runs actually worked! While Kirby Moore only dialed up two designed quarterback runs, both worked to perfection, which is a far cry from previous games. On the second drive of the game, Cook ran a well-timed QB draw, running up the middle for 15 yards. On the third drive, a well-planned zone read went for 10 more yards. Let’s hope these results don’t lure Kirby into running more of these types of plays against SEC defenses, but hey, they worked against UMASS.
• No Noel, no problem. It became obvious early in the game that Nate Noel wasn’t going to play, as Marcus Carroll, Jamal Roberts and Kewan Lacy all got carries in the first 20 minutes of the game. Come to find out he had some back tightness and was unable to loosen up to play. His absence was no problem for the Tiger running game as they wracked up 231 yards and four touchdowns on the ground, three of which went to Carroll.
• This was a great opportunity to see some early playing time early for young players. We got to see several freshmen and sophomores get playing time not just in garbage time, but in real moments when the game was still up for grabs. Jamal Roberts, Kewan Lacy, Williams Nwaneri, Jakhai Lang, Josh Manning and more all got real reps in the first half and early in the third quarter.
• The front four of the Tiger defense put up some real pressure on UMASS quarterback Taisun Phommachanh, causing several throw-aways as well as forcing a fumble and coming up with three sacks. Two of those sacks were by defensive linemen in Chris McClellan and freshman Williams Nwaneri (his first career sack,) meaning Corey Batoon didn’t have to blitz much to get pressure.
• On that note, Jakhai Lang was a stand out in the first half at the defensive end position. With senior Joe Moore out with an injury, Lang was able to get on the field early and often, making one tackle but pressuring Phommachanh into several times, including forcing him into an intentional grounding penalty in the second quarter. The Tigers are in desperate need of better EDGE play. Maybe Lang can fill that hole?
• Fast starts to both halves were enjoyable to see. Three touchdowns to start the game on offense was great, as well as two straight punts forced on defense, but how about the start to the third quarter? UMASS received the kickoff, went three and out and then Mizzou came right down and scored a touchdown on Marcus Carroll’s 35 yard run. The defense comes back and forces another three and out followed by a one-play touchdown drive on Josh Manning’s 63 yard touchdown catch.
• Speaking of Josh Manning, we finally got to see him open it up! We heard all off-season about how impressive Manning had looked, but that had translated to very little playing time on the field early this season. Well he got a chance in the third quarter following Luther Burden’s injury and didn’t disappoint. He caught a pass about 10 yards downfield along the sideline and turned on the jets. Nothing stopped him until he hit his head on the goalpost. Let’s see more of that, please!
• Brett Norfleet looks like he might finally be getting healthy. After suffering a shoulder injury early in the season, Norfleet has not looked like the SEC All-Freshman tight end that he showed to be late last year. Well he finally broke out as Brady Cook found him for three receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown. That included a rare 36-yard reception over the middle of the field to put the Tigers into first and goal. He caught the next play for a touchdown, once again in the middle of the field. Adding him as a weapon to the offense would be huge moving forward.
• Not to end on a sour note, but the one negative thing I gleaned was that the secondary still seems to be an issue. The overall final numbers for UMASS passing the ball are not worrisome (15/25, 142 yards, 1 INT) but the very soft zone that Corey Batoon rolled out there again this week was unimpressive. Several open receivers in the first half provided the only meaningful ball movement for the Minutemen. If the Tigers don’t shore up the back end, Jalen Milroe and others will wreak havoc on this defensive unit down the road.

Some good news that came through after we hit ‘publish’ on the Five Takeways Saturday: it looks like Luther Burden will be okay. Thank God.

Fall Ball continues, and Mizzou’s offense continues to shine

While the Missouri Tigers baseball team continues to play Fall Ball games against themselves, the softball Tigers have taken a different approach, facing off the likes of against MO State, Kansas City (formerly UMKC), kansas and Kaskaskia College. And on a beautiful and unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon, the Tigers faced off against Braggin’ Rights rival Illinois, who was 21-31 last season in the Big 10.

While early on it looked like it was going to be a pitching-by-committee duel, Mizzou broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth when Claire Cahalan reached with a big single to left field that hit off the top of the third baseman’s glove before swiping second, and Julia Crenshaw followed with a very long at-bat, forcing a lot of pitches from the Illinois pitcher before eventually drawing a walk. Then came Kentucky transfer Taylor Ebbs, who teed off with a three-run shot to left field to make it 3-0 Tigers. Abby Hay and Stefania Abruscato followed with walks (no. 2 & 3 of the inning), but the Tigers didn’t get anything else going.

In the bottom of the fifth, Missouri tacked on a couple more, as Haidyn Sokoloski, Kayley Lenger and Nevaeh Watkins hit back-to-back-to-back singles to make it 4-0. Cahalan was thrown out trying to take second, but Lenger (or the pinch-runner who might have come in) scored, making it 5-0. Watkins, who had swiped second earlier, scored on Crenshaw’s fielder’s choice that put her on second. Hay then followed with a standup double to the right center wall, and the Tigers took a 7-0 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh, with the shutout broken up, Missouri tacked on some insurance runs. Watkins walked and then moved to second base before scoring on a Madison Uptegrove double to make it 8-1, before a sweet, sweet double steal of 2B and home by Uptegrove and fellow freshman Abbie Wilhelm, who had reached first safely on a fielder’s choice, made it 9-1.

Pitching

Missouri reliever Taylor Pannell pitches in a fall-ball game against Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. (Cal Tobias/Rock M Nation)

I honestly spent so much time trying to figure out who the fielders were— their shirtseys had numbers on the back that were hidden by the players’ hair most of the time and little numbers on the sleeve that I likely missed some action. Apologies.

• CC Harrison once again got the start — she seems to start all the games I’m at — and pitched two innings. I can’t be 100% sure, but I think she only allowed one baserunner, on a hard-hit grounder that got by a diving Taylor Ebbs.
• Nathalie Touchet was the next Tiger up, also pitching two innings. I didn’t write any notes on her performance, except that she did get a nice DP to end the fourth.
• Lilly Whitten pitched the fifth and sixth innings, and I would rate her performance as just so-so. She allowed a double in the fifth but did keep the Illini off the board as she ended the inning with a strikeout. Whitten was not helped out by her offense in the sixth, as both 3B Saniya Hill AND SS Madison Uptegrove both misplayed what looked to be a pretty easy play around third base, and Hill misplayed another one to put two on. Luckily, the Tigers were saved by a bit of ball in-play luck as an Illini player’s hit made contact with a fellow Illini runner, ending the inning.
• Taylor Pannell pitched the seventh and eighth and wasn’t particularly sharp her first inning, allowing a 2-out solo homer to make it 7-1 and an additional baserunner via a single before settling in for her second inning of work.
• Jayci Kruse pitched the ninth and gave up a two-run homer, which made the score 9-3, as well as a single and a double.
• Courtney Donahue pitched the final inning and allowed a walk and a single.

Players of the Game

Missouri’s Abby Hay celebrates a base hit in a fall-ball game against Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. (Cal Tobias/Rock M Nation)

• Haidyn Sokoloski– The Oklahoma State transfer had a great game, with a standup double in the bottom of the third (it was probably scored as an error, but who’s counting?). She also had a single and a walk.
• Abby Hay was productive as always. She had a walk and a double to go with good fielding.
• Madison Uptegrove, the Father Tolton grad, had a double, RBI, stolen base and a walk. Keep an eye on her as the starting shortstop, as she’s seeing a lot of time there.
• Taylor Ebbs, the Kentucky transfer, mashed a three-run bomb and played solid defense at 2b
• Nevaeh Watkins had a good game, with two walks, a single and two stolen bases. Her speed will keep her in the game.

Odds n Ends

Missouri’s Kara Daly throws down an Illinois runner in a fall-ball game on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. (Cal Tobias/Rock M Nation)

• Kara Daly played a bit of shortstop, which was… confusing. I spent most of the first inning trying to figure out who was at SS and 3B, before softball SID Eric Mueller told me it was Daly, and that she started at SS in Thursday’s game against Kaskaskia as well and made a couple good plays. Apparently, Daly played some SS in high school, and this would allow Anderson to get more play for Walker, who primarily plays 3b.
• The defense still appears to be a work in progress. It’ll come, but they’ve got to get a handle on that.
• Marissa McCann and Mya Dodge apparently had offseason surgery, which explains why we haven’t seen either of them aside from in the dugout. I think I saw McCann throwing in the bullpen, but I’m guessing it was just tossing the ball.
• Fielding continues to come together. Here’s what we know so far. C: Julia Crenshaw (backup: Stefania Abruscato) | 1B: Abby Hay (backup: Walker) | 2B: Taylor Ebbs (backups: Thurman, Wilhelm, Sophie Smith) | SS: undetermined, but Daly, Uptegrove and Kadence Shepherd have all seen action | 3B: Kara Daly (backups: Madison Walker, Saniyah Hill) | RF: Nevaeh Watkins (backups: Danielle Blackstun, not sure who else has been out there) | CF: Kayley Lenger | LF: Claire Cahalan (OF backups: Hill, Jordyn Thurman, Danielle Blackstun, Sokoloski, Adi Koller) | Possible DP: Sokoloski, Abruscato

UP NEXT: The Tigers will take on Missouri Southern State at 6pm on Friday, October 18, before they play in a Black & Gold intrasquad meet on Thursday, October 24 at 5pm. Fall Ball will wrap up against Central Methodist on Wednesday, October 30 at 6pm.