Timely hitting leads Mizzou to 9-3 victory over Illinois

Oct 13, 2024 | Uncategorized

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Missouri players celebrate a home run in a fall-ball game against Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, at the Mizzou Softball Stadium. (Cal Tobias/Rock M Nation)

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 SokoloskiThe 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.

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