Tigers take a trip to New York, and just like Alicia Keys said, these streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you.
Well, the Tigers certainly started off their Mizzou Takes the Northeast trip with a bang, didn’t they? Fresh off a spectacular weekend in which the then-#15/16 Tigers took two of three from the then-#2/3 Bayou Bengals, they’ve packed their bags for the big city. Three big cities to be exact— The Big Apple, the nation’s capital, and the City of Brotherly Love.
But first… some song lyrics from the incomparable Alicia Keys to get the vibes right. Hempstead/Long Island is around 30 miles from Manhattan, but whatever…. it’s in the vicinity.
Concrete jungle where [Mizzou Softball] dreams are made of
There’s nothing you can’t do
Now you’re in New York!
These streets [Hempstead basepaths] will make you feel brand new
Big lights [from the stadium] will inspire you
Hear it for New York, New York, New Yooork!
This game was absolutely crazy, y’all. We’ll get to the offense in a minute, but we need to start with CC, who was exemplary.
Y’all, Cierra Harrison was incredible in this game, allowing only a single hit while not issuing a walk (YAY!) and striking out a half dozen. And if not for a single in the fifth and a FC that got another runner on, Harrison would have had the program’s 13th perfect game in history and another non-no on resume.
She struck out two in the first to go with a ground out to Daly at 3B before striking out two to start the second inning before inducing a popup to Chester at 1B. It wasn’t until the third that a ball even left the infield, as CC got two lineouts to Lenger in RF a foul out to Daly at 3B. In the fourth, she worked a popout to — you guessed it — Daly at 3B in between two more strikeouts, bringing her tally to six on the day. She came into the fourth with just 37 pitches, mind you. THIRTY-SEVEN. In her final inning of work, after an infield popup to Daly at 3B, Michaela Carter worked a single through the left side to break up the no-no and the perfect game. A fielder’s choice by Nicki Sudall took out Carter to put two away, ending Harrison’s awesome day.
Lilly Whitten came in to get the last out and initially had a bit of control issues, with a wild pitch that advanced the runner to 2B, and a passed ball that hit off of Crenshaw’s protective gear to take 3B. An infield popup to short ended the inning (and game).
As for the offense, what a great day for so many Tigers, but especially one who has had a noticeably quiet season thus far, Mya Dodge, who was part of the 8-run second inning, 6-run fourth, AND 6-run fifth. There was a lot of offense, you guys.
In the second, a Katie Chester single got things started, and Kara Daly followed with a walk on four straight pitches. A Julia Crenshaw fielder’s choice took out the lead runner before — WELCOME BACK, MYA DODGE — clobbers a pitch to left to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead off of Fordham pitcher Holly Beeman.
OH MY Mya Dodge!!! #Mizzou 3, Fordham 0 | T2 #OwnIt #MIZ | @dodge_mya pic.twitter.com/UZZaMl90tg
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) March 26, 2024
And the Tigers weren’t close to being done, as freshman New Yorker Stefania Abruscato singled up the middle and Kayley Lenger followed with a successful bunt that left the Rams with no play to put two on for another New Yorker, Jenna Laird, who singled up the middle, making it 4-0. Alex Honnold then reached on a costly error by 2B Allie Clark that brought home two additional runs, making it 6-0 and bringing in a new pitcher, Olivia Simcoe.
With Simcoe in the circle, Honnold swiped second, and another New Yorker, Maddie Gallagher, singled through the right side, making it 7-0. After Chester struck out, Gallagher advanced to second on a wild pitch, before another error on a routine popup made it 8-0.
In the fourth, Gallagher was hit by a pitch, and after a foul out, another Tiger, this time Kara Daly, unleashed a bomb, making it 10-0 Tigers.
KARA DALY, we have lift off
Daly clobbers her fifth homer of the campaign to push the Mizzou lead to double digits!!
#Mizzou 10, Fordham 0 | T4 #OwnIt #MIZ | @karadaly09 pic.twitter.com/J9aeg1jjN9
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) March 26, 2024
Back-to-back singles by Crenshaw and Dodge and a two-out walk by Lenger loaded the bases for Laird, whose hard hit single to the right side brought in two more, making it 12-0 and taking Simcoe out of the game for Devon Miller, who walked Honnold intentionally to load the bases. Gallagher then also walked, to make it 13-0, and pinch hitter Abby Hay also walked in a run, making it 14-0. The inning finally ended on a Daly foul out.
In the final inning, the Tigers, perhaps mercilessly, added on another crooked number, as a Crenshaw walk was followed by ANOTHER homer, this time a two-run shot, to make it 16-0. And just like the prior innings, the Tigers weren’t done. Abruscato singled to center before Laird and Claire Cahalan worked one-out walks to take out Miller, and bring back in the starting pitcher, Beeman. Former Rock Bridge star Abby Hay doubled to center, clearing the bases to make it 19-0, before Madison Walker singled to left, scoring Hay and making it 20-0 before Daly was tagged out at third for the final out.
First career two bagger for Abby Hay is a big one!! @abbyhay24 brings home 3⃣ Tigers with a double.#Mizzou 19, Fordham 0 | T5 | #OwnIt #MIZ pic.twitter.com/CJOgDKNTos
— Mizzou Softball (@MizzouSoftball) March 26, 2024
Final Thoughts
The Tigers FEASTED upon the Rams pitching and got production from like, everyone. The only starter without an actual hit was Alex Honnold, as she reached base via walk and error, a stolen base and a run scored. Claire Cahalan didn’t have a hit, but she walked and had a run scored, leaving only pinch hitter Danielle Blackstun with nothing to really show for it. Laird was 2-3 with 3 runs scored, 3 RBI and 2 walks. Gallagher was 1-3 with a walk, HBP, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Chester was 1-3, Hay was 1-1 with 4 RBI, a run scored, and a walk. Daly was 2-4 with 2 RBI, a walk, and 2 runs scored. Crenshaw was 1-3 with a walk and 3 runs scored. Walker was 1-1 with an RBI as a pinch hitter. Dodge was 3-3 with 5 RBI, a walk, 2 homers, and 3 runs scored, and Lenger was 1-2 with a walk and 2 runs scored.