Missouri Tigers
Overall Rank: #20
Conference Rank: #7 SEC
Missouri Team Page
The Tigers, in their final year of relying on pitcher Chelsea Thomas and field players Jenna Marston and Nicole Hudson, lost out on a return trip to the World series by suffering a heartbreaking Super Regional defeat to Washington. After a relatively easy home regional at Columbia (losing only one game to Hofstra while resting a nicked-up Thomas), Missouri gave up a total of three runs to the Huskies in the process of being swept two games to none. 2013 may have been their best chance to advance to the final tournament for a while. Or was it?
2013 Record: 38-14, 15-8
2013 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Ehren Earleywine
Field Players:
The entire starting infield returns with second baseman Emily Crane leading the way. Crane led the team as a freshman with a .376 batting average, 26 RBIs and crossed the plate 38 times. Also returning are outfield senior Mackenzie Sykes , Angela Randazzo (Jr., 3B), Kelsea Roth (Jr., 1B), and Junior Shortstop Corrin Genovese, all of whom hit .300 or better.
Pitchers:
The Tigers roster lists four pitchers, none of whom were even on the team last year. Lost to graduation are superstar Chelsea Thomas and backup Nicole Hudson, who together accounted for 288 of Mizzou’s 335 innings played.
Who to Watch:
The newcomers. Casey Stangel is a three-time Idaho Gatorade Player of the year, and was also named National POY by Maxpreps. Stangel hit .640 with 64 RBIs while posting a 0.73 ERA on the way to her second state championship in three years. Fellow frosh Tori Finucane was 26-1 with a 0.21 ERA in her senior season at Bishop O’Connell High in Arlington, Virginia. Speedster Sami Fagan sat out 2013 after transferring from the University of Florida, where as a freshman in 2012, she hit .378 with five triples and 20 stolen bases. Pitcher Alora Marble sat out last year after transferring from Southeast Missouri State (Ohio Valley Conference) where she went 18-8 with a 2.99 ERA in 159 innings pitched in 2012. Joining the pitching staff is freshman righty Jordan Zolman, who may be counted on more for her offensive abilities than her pitching.
Final Projection:
The pitching will decide the Tigers fate. If Stangel, Finucane and Marble can hang with the big girls, Earleywine’s troops have a puncher’s chance. The pitching will have to be good-the Tigers lost a lot of offense to graduation in Hudson and Marston. Whether Mizzou is in a rebuilding mode or not also depends on the returners production at the plate.
Projected Postseason: NCAA Softball Tournament
Returning Leaders:
At Bats: Emily Crane, 2B, .376
Hits: Emily Crane, 2B, .376
Home Runs: Kelsea Roth, 1B, 16
RBIs: Angela Randazzo, 3B, 47
Runs: Emily Crane, 2B, 38
Stolen Bases: Emily Crane, 2B, 13
Wins: N/A
Innings Pitched: N/A
Strikeouts: N/A
Saves: N/A
Madness 2014 Softball Recruit Rankings:
#1 Casey Stangel
#7 Tori Finucane
See All Softball Top 44 Previews
