After a strong 2024 season ended in a deep run to the NCAA Columbia Super Regional, the Missouri Tigers began their 2025 effort with a solid performance in the NFCA Division 1 Leadoff Classic. In Clearwater, Florida, coach Larissa Anderson’s team went 4-1 overall and 2-0 against ranked opponents.
Prior to the season’s kickoff, the Tigers were ranked No.15 by both USA Softball and ESPN, echoing the sentiment that they are a potential team to watch in the wider landscape that is college softball. As with any new season, however, no true estimate of a team’s capability can be made until it hits the field for the first time, showing fans and pundits alike what it has to offer.
Friday, Feb. 7
Missouri proved to be worth the wait, starting Friday’s doubleheader with a 9-1 smothering of Marshall. Picking up right where she left off last season, sophomore Abby Hay led the Tigers with a dominant outing, with first and second-inning doubles that together scored four runs. Only after a solo home run by senior Julia Crenshaw at the bottom of the fifth did the run-rule victory come into effect, giving the Tigers early momentum heading into their second matchup of the day.
In it they would face and defeat the No. 21/20 ranked Northwestern, handling the Wildcats 3-0 on the back of a strong pitching game by junior Cierra Harrison. In just her fourth time as a Tiger, the Lee’s Summit native threw a career-best seven innings, notching six strikeouts while allowing just three hits and a walk. The runs for Missouri came from a Northwestern error at the bottom of the first and RBI singles from Stefania Abruscato and Crenshaw in the second and sixth innings.
Saturday, Feb. 8
The second day of games offered a mixed display from Missouri. To begin the day, the Tigers played a rematch against their NCAA Columbia Super Regional opponents from last season, the No. 7/8 ranked Duke Blue Devils. In a tentative effort, the two teams traded outs for much of the early innings. It took until the bottom of the fourth for the Blue Devils to finally get the scoring started from a single by D’Auna Jennings that brought Aleyah Terrell back to home plate. From then on, the game kicked into gear. Abruscato started Missouri off at the top of the fifth, homering to right field, but Duke responded in kind with a double and single from Amiah Burgess and KK Mathis that brought runners home. In the sixth, Missouri jumped ahead with nine more runs, including another homer from Madison Walker, that ultimately clinched the 10-3 win for the Tigers.
Riding high after the early win, Missouri shifted back to reality with a 4-3 loss against unranked Notre Dame. Unable to find consistent hitting, the Tigers still managed some success, scoring from another Walker homer in the fourth and a steal of home by Mya Dodge. Abruscato eventually pulled the Tigers equal with their opponents thanks to a single RBI in the sixth inning, but the Fighting Irish ultimately earned the last laugh thanks to a walk-off home run by Jane Kronenberger in the seventh.
Sunday, Feb. 9
Missouri’s final game of the season-opening tournament was against Iowa in a rather lackluster affair. Iowa started with the lead early, scoring off a Missouri error in the second inning. Neither team scored again until the bottom of the fifth, when Abby Hay rocketed the ball out of the park to tie the game up at one apiece. The Hawkeyes threatened to upset the Tigers when they found home plate once again in the seventh, but couldn’t hold the lead after allowing an error and wild pitch that gave Missouri a 3-2 victory.
Final Thoughts
Despite being unable to retain their NFCA Division 1 Leadoff Classic title from last season, Missouri still managed to impress in their 4-1 start to the year. With a balanced mix of experienced and fresh talent, and hall-of-fame coaching to boot, the Tigers have the keys needed to be successful in the tight field of college softball.
Missouri continues its early-season road trip on Feb. 11, when they take on UCF in Orlando.