Pitching continues to highlight No. 11 Mizzou softball’s hot start
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The No. 11 Mizzou softball team is now 20-3 overall in 2024, which is the best start the program has seen since opening up 2013 on a 22-2 run. The Tigers can, in part, thank the pitching staff for that success.
Senior ace Laurin Krings and sophomore Cierra Harrison have been a one-two punch for head coach Larissa Anderson. Krings and Harrison both pitched complete games on Friday and Saturday in the wins against then-No. 25 Auburn.
"That's huge because that's huge because that's going to keep us in every single ball game," Anderson said. "Really good outings with Krings and Harrison. I thought they kept them off balance, being able to make adjustments because Auburn was making adjustments in batters box. We countered beautifully."
You can watch the full press conference with Anderson in the video player below.
Sunday's lone loss in the series was a bit of a different story, as Krings didn't get off to a hot start, as she did on Friday night. The senior got the start and ended up letting three earned runs go, getting taken out early on in the game and returning just innings later.
Freshman Marissa McCann and sophomore Taylor Pannell came in in relief, but it still ended up in a 4-0 loss for the Tigers. After the game, Anderson said that Krings didn't come out as fresh as she would have liked after getting an off day on Saturday, so she checked out her off day routine.
"Her nervous system wasn't activated enough," Anderson said. "[The strength coach] took her back to the bullpen, did some explosive movements with her, some dynamic stuff, which is why I was able to put her back in because she wasn't fatigued, her body just wasn't awake and she did the same pregame routine. To me, it's just about what she did on Saturday wasn't enough to keep her activated...So, yesterday having conversations with our strength coach, saying lets do a little bit in the morning before she throws, I'm gonna throw her on that off day if I'm not anticipating using her in the game just so she can continue to spin and use her body."
Those changes will be critical in a tough week ahead of Mizzou softball. MU will play in a doubleheader against Illinois on Wednesday, return home for one day and then depart for a tough series against No. 9 Tennessee Friday-Sunday in Knoxville.
Anderson said, going into a tough environment in Tennessee, her team is well-aware of the intensity it will take to be successful.
"When we have conditioning or weight training, it has to be consistent and it has to be that same energy to be able to get the best out of each other," she said. "Going into Illinois or Tennessee's atmosphere, we know it's going to be intense, but at the same time we have to focus on ourselves and try to tune that out, but also appreciate the opportunity that - if you're going into another venue and you're hated, that means you're doing good."
Mizzou and Illinois will play in doubleheader action at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Then, MU will start up the series against the Volunteers on Friday at 5 p.m.
