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2013 NCAA Softball live thread: Washington at Mizzou (Game 1)

2013-05-24T00:21:13Z

What: 2013 NCAA Softball Super Regionals
Who: No. 11 Washington at No. 6 Missouri
Where: University Field, Columbia
When: 8:00 p.m. CT

TV: ESPN

We know what's at stake. The teams know each other reasonably well. Let's do this.

M-I-Z...

Mizzou's Greatest, #83: Danny LaRose

2013-05-23T15:28:03Z

Mizzou Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame bio:

One of the greatest two-way talents in Missouri history, LaRose starred from 1958-60, as an end who could dominate the line of scrimmage, and was also MU's leading receiver as a sophomore and senior. He also punted for MU in 1960. A native of Crystal City, Mo., LaRose won all-conference honors in 1958 and '60, and was a consensus all-America selection in 1960 (made 13 teams), when Missouri beat Navy and Heisman Trophy winner Joe Bellino in the Orange Bowl. LaRose played in the College All-Star Game and Hula Bowl in 1961, then went on to a professional career with the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins. He was also an accomplished weight man in track, who held Missouri's indoor shot put record for many years. Lives in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Missouri Sports Hall of Fame bio:

A native of Crystal City, Mo., LaRose lettered three years in three sports; football, basketball, and track while attending Crystal City High School. His senior year, he was instrumental in leading their team to the Missouri State Track Championship. Upon graduation, he received a dual scholarship to the University of Missouri for football and track. One of the greatest two-way talents in Missouri history, LaRose starred from 1958-60, as a dominating end on the defensive line and as MU's leading receiver during his sophomore and senior years. He was chosen “Big 8 Conference Sophomore of the Year” and made the “All Big 8 Football Team.” That same year in a track meet, LaRose broke Al Oerter’s (an Olympian from Kansas) indoor shot put record. He appeared in two bowl games for Missouri. LaRose was a well-rounded athlete – kicking off, punting, and playing both offensive end and defensive line backer. He was also an accomplished weight man in track, holding Missouri's indoor shot put record for many years. After completing his senior year of football, he was a “Consensus All American”, being one of only five in the history of the University of Missouri to receive such an honor. LaRose played in the College All-Star Game and Hula Bowl in 1961, and then went on to a professional career with the Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins. LaRose was inducted into the University of Missouri Hall of Fame in 1992.

What We Love: Danny LaRose:

While this is really an ode to all of the former Mizzou players who thrived playing both ways ... LaRose was perhaps Mizzou's best in that category.

We remember so many players from that 1960 season -- backs Mel West, Norm Beal, Donnie Smith and Norris Stevenson, quarterback Ron Taylor, etc. -- but we tend to almost forget about the best player on the team. Danny LaRose did most of his damage from the defensive end position, but he still managed to finish eighth in the 1960 Heisman voting and garner 16 first-place votes. Missouri won most games with a stout running game and devastating team defense. But when they needed something extra, LaRose provided it through his work as not only a defensive end, but also a split end and punter.

When Mizzou headed to Pennsylvania to take on No. 20 Penn State on October 1, LaRose staked his Heisman claim. He caught a touchdown pass to help Mizzou ease out to a 14-0 lead, then he tipped a Galen Hall pass that a teammate intercepted. He picked off a pass for himself in the fourth quarter to boot. Then, after Mizzou had moved to No. 2 in the country in November, he sacked Colorado quarterback Garle Weidner to ice a 16-6 win.

In 1960, playing both ways did not garner you any sort of "ironman" recognition -- everybody played both ways. But few played this well on both sides of the ball, and few made as large a mark as LaRose did, helping Mizzou to back-to-back Orange Bowl appearances, lighting the fuse for a flammable defense, and kick-starting the best decade of football in Missouri's history. If that doesn't earn some love, nothing does.

From the AP report following Mizzou's win over Penn State:

But the name that became most familiar to the 35,500 Homecoming Day spectators at Beaver Stadium was that of Missouri end Danny La Rose. It seemed that every spectacular play on offense or defense involved the 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior from Crystal City, Mo.

He scored the first touchdown when he gathered in a pass by quarterback Ron Taylor for 16 yards to complete an 80-yard drive at the start of the second quarter. Before that he had recovered two fumbles in State territory to set up scoring threats.

LaRose also got off two short kicks -- six and one-yard punts -- that gave Penn State its best early scoring chance.

LaRose also anchored the left side of a stout Missouri line that held State's touted ground attack in check until the game safely in Missouri's favor. […]

State came to life briefly in the third quarter, moving 73 yards in 15 plays for its only touchdown. Galen Hall passed the final three yards to Henry Oppermann. LaRose was among two Missouri defenders who tipped the ball into the air so Oppermann could grab it.

LaRose named an All-American:

Danny LaRose of Missouri and Mike Ditka of Pitt were selected in a particularly close battle at ends. The deciding factor was their versatility, giving them the votes of 1959 All-Americas Marlin McKeever and Fred Mautino among others.

When you have a chance, go through the Savitar archives a little bit. Pull up the 1959-61 yearbooks, search through to the football section, and peruse the pictures. Danny LaRose is in a lot of them. And in every single one, he is towering over everybody else in the photo, moving downhill with momentum or preparing to. A 6'4, 220-pound end in 1960 was like a 6'7, 260-pound end today. He was blessed with both physical prowess, strength, and incredible timing. He blocked two punts in his first varsity game (1958 vs. Vanderbilt), and he dominated in Missouri's biggest early win of 1960. He was drafted in the second round by the Detroit Lions and hung around in the league for six seasons. He was by any and every definition, one of Missouri's greatest.

Mizzou Links, 5-23-13

2013-05-23T10:05:04Z

1. Tonight, 8:00 p.m. CT.

MUtigers.com: Super Regional Time at University Field

FOLLOW THE ACTION AT THE COLUMBIA REGIONAL

• Mizzou and Washington's best-of-three series in the Columbia Super Regional will be shown live on ESPN and ESPNU with Mark Neely (play-by-play) and Amanda Freed (analysis) on the call. Thursday's Game One is scheduled for an 8 p.m. CDT start on ESPN, with Friday's games set for 5 p.m. on ESPNU and 8 p.m. on ESPN (if necessary).

• Live radio coverage will come from KTGR (100.5 FM, 103.1 FM, 1580 AM, KTGR.com and Mizzou Network) for the entire best-of-three series.

• The Columbia Super Regional will have continual updates to the official Twitter account of Mizzou Softball, @MizzouSoftball. Live statistics will be available at MUTigers.com, as well as post-game coverage of recaps, notes and quotes.

The Missourian: Missouri softball can't slack off for NCAA Super Regionals
KC Star: MU softball team opens NCAA super regional vs. Washington on Thursday
Post-Dispatch: MU softball ready for national stage

2. How's Chelsea's arm? We'll find out

The Trib: Ace's arm will be put to the test

"I hate to jump the gun. I hope she is pain-free," Earleywine said yesterday. "I hope I'm not running her out there and placing expectations on her that aren't realistic. But from all indications, from everybody that's treating her, she feels pretty good." [...]

Thomas said her outing last weekend — she one-hit Hofstra on Sunday a day after pitching a complete game — was "huge mentally" for her confidence. She said she did have some symptoms of her arm injury afterward.

"Had some fullness, a little bit of numbness, but nothing like it has been, so that means we're getting a grip on what's working and what's managing the symptoms," she said.

James Stannard, Thomas' doctor, said last week he hoped Thomas would improve because of the last month of rest Earleywine has given her, the new treatments and Thomas' relief that the condition has no likelihood of long-term damage. Thomas also began visiting with a physical therapist last week.

PowerMizzou: Tigers will ride with Thomas

I'm very confident in saying that Missouri's A-game is better than Washington's A-game. If Chelsea's healthy enough, and if the bats are actually relaxed now, I feel very good about this series. But the execution has to be there.

Mizzou got away with basically three good pitching games, two good defensive games, and one good offensive game last weekend. They'll need at least that tonight and tomorrow.

"Not many people knew but I was committed to Houston," he said. "Next month I had visits set to Houston, Iowa State, and TCU. But since I committed to Missouri I am going to cancel all of them."

Legend has it--and Spoon told the story himself--that he chose Missouri because he was walking around the mall in Jasper and saw a Mizzou sweatshirt. Not exactly a common occurrence, Weatherspoon said he took it as a sign he was supposed to play at Missouri. […]

Weatherspoon was not ranked in the top 100 players in the Class of 2006...in his own state. After his college career came to a close, Orangebloods.com reranked that Lone Star State class. They had Spoon ranked seventh.

"This one really makes me mad because a former employee of mine was high on Weatherspoon after seeing him as a senior and I should have had him somewhere on the list," read the report. "Totally a blown call on my part and it kept me from looking smart five years later. Only TCU and Houston offered among in-state schools."

If anyone needed proof that ranking recruits was an inexact science (you shouldn't), Sean Weatherspoon busted that myth years ago.

(Side note: How freaking good was Bill Carter's 2009 MU-KSU gallery???)

Mizzou's Greatest, #84: Missouri 3, Notre Dame 0 (1978)

2013-05-22T16:23:16Z

This reveals my age, I realize, but living in Columbia while my father finished his doctorate, my mother went into labor with me on September 9, 1978. One problem: Her doctor was in South Bend at the time. It's no wonder that I was born a football nerd--as I was trying to introduce myself to the world, Missouri was giving the defending national champions a run for their money on their home turf.

The last time Missouri had made a trip to South Bend, it was Al Onofrio's second season at the helm. Missouri had gone 1-10 in their first season and was 2-3 in 1972, coming off of a humiliating 62-0 loss to Nebraska in Lincoln. All they did was beat the highly-ranked Irish, setting in motion the trend of major road upsets the Onofrio Administration would bring.

Six seasons later, Notre Dame was the defending national champion and a preseason Top 5 team. Missouri legend Dan Devine had led the Irish to the 1977 national title, and in 1978, his offense returned starting QB Joe Montana and top RBs Vagas Ferguson and Jerome Heavens (a high school teammate of Mizzou DB Eric Wright, and soon to become ND's all-time leading rusher). The defensive line had taken a hit with DEs Russ Browner and Willie Fry moving on to the NFL, but the LB corps, led by Bob Golic, was possibly the best in the country. Devine's team was loaded, and after the 1972 debacle, he would make sure his team did not overlook Warren Powers' Tigers.

Heading into the mother of season openers, Mizzou was not lacking in confidence. Russ Calabrese suggested that Notre Dame--a 17-point favorite--was "just another team*" and Phil Bradley said they had the offensive talent to offset whatever the Irish tried to do defensively. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Powers was telling his boys that all they would need was a field goal to win this game--they were going to shut Notre Dame out. In the grand scheme of things, Powers probably didn't really mean that, but never say this team didn't take him literally. It took 47 minutes, but Missouri finally got that field goal. Surely that wouldn't really be enough, right?

* Calabrese was a loudmouth's loudmouth. The week before the game, he also stated that he hated Notre Dame, hated the entire state of Indiana, and hated all Irish people. This came a month after a visit to Columbia by President Jimmy Carter; a few Missouri players were excited about the chance to meet the president. Calabrese, on the other hand, said he was "just a peanut farmer" to him, and that he was a Nixon man. I'd love to have seen what would have happened if Calabrese had played in the Internet age.

If ever a team stretched the "bend but don't break defense" idea as far as it could possibly go, it was Missouri on September 9, 1978. Punter (and fourth-string QB) Monte Montgomery struggled mightily in the first half, and Notre Dame continuously took the ball in good field position. By game's end, Notre Dame would put together nine decent scoring opportunities.

But time after time, the Mizzou defense made plays. Chris Garlich recovered a Montana fumble inside the Mizzou red zone in the first quarter, then intercepted a pass in the second. Notre Dame began to drive again, but this time Montana was picked off by Eric Wright (his future San Francisco teammate) deep in Mizzou territory. In a scoreless first half, Montana (or should I say, "Potentially the Greatest QB in NFL History" Joe Montana) went 4-for-17 with the aforementioned two picks.

The Mizzou defense had clearly brought its A-game, but it only seemed like a matter of time before the Irish took over. Mizzou's offense had been able to generate some first downs and move the ball in the middle of the field, but the Tigers were badly losing the field position battle. Usually a defense can only hold onto a shutout for so long.

In the third quarter, Notre Dame threatened even more. A 19-yard Montgomery punt set the Irish up near midfield, and after a reverse to Dan Stone, the Irish were at the Mizzou 20. Three plays and nine yards later, it was fourth-and-1. Even though a field goal would give them the lead in a 0-0 game, Dan Devine chose to go for it. When it came to scoring, Devine had an aggressive mindset at Mizzou, and he hadn't lost it on his way to South Bend (via Green Bay). However, the plays he chose to call remained conservative. Mizzou knew ND would go straight up the gut in those situations, and sure enough, Montana attempted a sneak. Mizzou was having none of it. The fourth down stuff gave Mizzou the ball.

With another crisis averted, Mizzou's offense took the field and immediately turned the ball over. Gerry Ellis fumbled at the Mizzou 7, and Notre Dame had a goal-to-go situation. On third down from the 4, Montana sneaked ahead and was barely kept out of the endzone. Fourth-and-inches, and Devine went for it again. And again Mizzou was ready. Vagas Ferguson took the handoff and was met at the 4 by Garlich (who would predictably go on to win Big 8 Defensive Player of the Week) and DE Kurt Peterson. Mizzou ball. Again.

Again, Mizzou couldn't move the ball, and a poor Montgomery punt set ND up at the Mizzou 36. Montana found WR Kris Gaines for a long gain to set the Irish up at the Mizzou 3. But Gaines, who had clearly read Russ Calabrese's trash talk the week before the game, couldn't resist an opportunity to rub it in and slapped Calabrese on the helmet after the play. Personal foul, Notre Dame. Ball on the 18 instead of the 3.

Backed up by 15 yards thanks to Gaines, Notre Dame gained four yards in three plays, and without hesitation this time, Devine sent on the field goal unit. Due probably to lack of use, holder Joe Restie bobbled the snap, and Mizzou stuffed the resulting emergency pass. Crisis averted, yet again.

As is usually the case, when your offense has missed too many opportunities to score -- men stranded on base in baseball, shots rattling in and out in basketball, good shots not finding the net in soccer or hockey, break points wasted in tennis -- eventually your underdog opponent might find a way to strike. For Notre Dame, in a baffling 0-0 game, the defense finally showed cracks late in the third quarter.

With a couple of screens to Earl Gant, who led the Tigers with 17 carries for 102 yards and four carries for 39 yards, Mizzou moved the ball near midfield. Then, on 3rd-and-10 from the ND 40, Phil Bradley (11-for-18 for 118 yards and, most importantly, no picks, on the day) found David Newman for 15 yards. Three plays generated nine yards, and without flinching, Warren Powers sent on the field goal unit on fourth-and-1. His quote after the game: "No, hell no. I wasn't thinking of going for it."

With 12:50 left in the game, Jeff Brockhaus' kick split the uprights, and Mizzou had an improbable 3-0 lead.

Of course, the game wasn't over. Again, Notre Dame threatened, and again, Mizzou held. The Tigers got the ball back with a chance to run out the clock, but couldn't. At their own 29, Mizzou lined up to punt one last time.

Despite all of Notre Dame's offensive talent, for most of the game, the Irish's best offensive weapon had been Monte Montgomery, Mizzou's punter, he of a one-yard first-half punt. But if you thought recent Mizzou kicker Adam Crossett (who missed a 20-yard chip shot FG in the 2005 Independence Bowl before banging home a go-ahead 50-yard in the fourth quarter) had a flair for the dramatic, Montgomery had him beat. With Mizzou hanging on by a thread, Monte uncorked a 52-yarder. Notre Dame return man Randy Harrison, probably as shocked as everybody else in the stadium, muffed the return. Mizzou recovered, and just like that, they were able to kneel down in Victory Formation and take home the most improbable of victories.

In the end, Notre Dame won the yardage battle (334-288), the first downs battle (18-12), and the overall field position battle. But Mizzou won in turnovers (+3) and testicular fortitude. Notre Dame had advanced inside Mizzou's 25 five times and come away with 0 points. But instead of elaborating further about how momentous this moment was for the Missouri program and its fans, I'll let a Missourian article from September 10, 1978 (my birthday), tell you all you need to know:

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Black and gold banners were flying high. Chorus after chorus of that familiar fight song could be heard loud and clear. Strangers were hugging each other.

Yes, by gosh, those Missouri Tigers did it again. The coach's name is different, but tradition remains. It happened against Notre Dame in 1972. Against Nebraska in 1973 and 1974. Against Alabama in 1975. Against USC and Ohio State in 1976.

Once again, Missouri rode inspriation and intensity -- not to mention their defense -- to unbelievable heights. The result Saturday afternoon was a 3-0 upset of Notre Dame in the lion's own den.

The crowd outside the locker room was parted to make way for Linda Powers, the coach's wife. As she walked down the corridor, she was fighting back tears. It was a losing battle. She began weeping.

Moments later, after a big kiss from her husband, Mrs. Powers was escorted outdoors. Under her arm was the game ball.

The chant began.

"Defense! Defense! Defense!"

As soon as it ended, another began.

"Bama! Bama! Bama! Bama!"

From the UPI report:

"I can be critical of myself for not realizing that field goals win games," Devine said. "The idea is to win. Of course, our one field goal was not a classic, but we were in field-goal range several times when we went for it.

"But you've got to give Missouri credit for coming up with the big plays. The defense they had been giving us on fourth down was the same as the one they used on third down and we should have been able to handle it. But credit the fine play of the Missouri defense." […]

It was the second victory for Missouri in three games with Notre Dame and the first shutout for the Irish at home since Oct. 15, 1960. Notre Dame lost by shutout at Michigan State, 21-0, in 1965.

And from the AP:

The upset kings of college football did it again.

For hours, police guarded the entrance to Mizzou's Memorial Stadium, knowing that students might try to sneak in and tear down the goalposts like they had in the past. They finally left in the middle of the night. The students sneaked in later that night.

2013 NCAA Softball Super Regionals: Mizzou-Washington preview

2013-05-22T15:05:11Z

I always enjoy the Super Regional round because I only end up having to look at one school rather than three as part of the Regional and opening half of the WCWS. With only one school, I can try to dig a little deeper into the next opponent, which in this case is the #11 seeded Washington Huskies of the Pac-12. Mizzou may be as familiar with the Huskies as they could be with any other program in the Super Regionals short of someone they either currently (or just) share conference affiliation. Mizzou took down the Huskies in two games in Columbia in the Super Regionals in 2011 and then beat them again in California last February. We will get to reviewing those games in a bit, but let’s get familiar with the names first.

Washington Schedule/Results

"Coming out of the Pac-12, which is as strong a softball conference as there is in the land,” is how I led off the last preview piece I wrote about Oregon State. It holds just as true for UW, though the Huskies found greater success both in and out of the Pac-12 than Oregon State did. UW finished the regular season 38-15 (now 41-15 after sweeping their Regional), going a solid 16-8 in conference. They were 15-4 at home (not including their three wins this past weekend), 10-5 on the road and 18-6 at neutral sites (this DOES include the Regional games). They had 15 wins coming via the run rule and were 2-0 in extra-inning games. UW is only four seasons removed from a National Championship in the 2009 season, and the Huskies still play a VERY strong non-conference schedule. How well did they do? Let’s take a look.

Washington in Non-Conference

The Huskies saw some lovely venues for softball this past winter and early spring, spending time in Honolulu, San Diego, Palm Springs, Fullerton, and Fort Collins as well as Seattle. By my count, they went 22-7 with a few good wins. In playing #20 (via RPI, as all my rankings are) Hawaii twice this past weekend, it was actually the third and fourth time the teams have played. They had matched up earlier in the year, splitting a pair. UW also has a win over #22 Florida State. The Huskies also took on #1 OU, #3 Texas, #8 Michigan and #10 Kentucky, losing all of those games. So against Top-25 non-con teams, they went 2-4. They had a nice win against #30 UGA, split two games with #39 UAB and beat #43 Notre Dame. They had a bit of a head-scratcher (as pretty much everyone does) against #135 Cal Poly, losing 2-0, making this (by far) their worst loss of the season. They also played nine teams with a RPI worse than Cal Poly, and certainly handled them all, run-ruling eight (kudos to #163 Bradley for only losing 6-3).

Washington In Conference

It would appear you play only eight conference foes in the Pac-12, with three games each. UW started the grind on the road against #29 Arizona and took two of three. Returning home, the Huskies faced the jewel of the Pac-12 in Oregon, and after getting blown out in the first game (12-1, no run rule evidently), they tightened it up in a second loss (4-2) before taking the finale 2-1. This started a nice win streak for them, which included sweeps at #19 UCLA and home against Civil War rival #36 Oregon State. Win #8 in a row came at the hands of #11 Arizona State, who UW beat in Tempe 3-1 before dropping the last two of that series. Rain (in Seattle? Go figure) hampered their series against #23 Stanford, but they were able to take two of three before heading out on the road for their final conference series against #68 Utah. UW dropped the first (2-1) for their worst conference loss of the season before taking the last two. Finally, the Huskies came home to finish against #18 Cal, taking the first two before dropping the last game of the regular season.

Washington played 15 games against teams in the top 25 of the RPI, going 9-6 against Oregon, UCLA, ASU, Stanford and Cal. So against the top 25, including their NCAA wins against Hawaii, UW is 13-10. That’s a lot of games against top-flight talent right there. By comparison, how did Mizzou fair against the same, entirely-random criteria? 14-10 in our games against Florida (1-1), Alabama (1-2), LSU (2-1), Tennessee (3-1), Kentucky (2-1), aTm (1-1), Hofstra (2-1) and Arkansas (2-2).

Common Opponents

Seems like Kentucky played a lot of the same people we did this year, as did Illinois, even though we never actually played the Illini. But unlike Oregon State, UW basically has these two and Ole Miss in common.

Kentucky: UW lost 3-2, Mizzou went 2-1 (giving up a middle game of the series).
Ole Miss: UW won 10-2 (5), Mizzou went 3-0, winning by a combined score of 29-1.
Illinois: UW won 15-0 (5), Mizzou was rained out.

Not much to take away here. UW played Kentucky early in the season, while we had them later when our pitching was in a decent spot with the Thomas/Hudson/Thomas weekend. Other than that, not much else to see here, move along.

Washington Offense

From the little I know about Pac-12 softball from looking at stats of Oregon State and UW, I would say the hitting is very strong and causes the ERAs to be a little higher than we have been used to from the Big XII and SEC. So as we do, at a high level, here is how UW compares to MU. UW stats do not include their final game from last weekend:

Team Batting Average: UW is .312 to MU's .310 (MU lost 10 points of batting average this past weekend)
Team OBP/Slug: UW is .412/.488 to MU's .406/.517
Runs: UW scored 334 in 55 games to MU's scoring 311 in 50
HR’s: UW had 54 to MU’s 62
BB’s/K’s: UW has 228/222 to MU's 197/186
Steals: UW had 44 to MU's 59

That is pretty darn even across most of those metrics. UW has improved nicely at the plate since last year, when they batted under .300 as a team with fewer HRs and more Ks than BBs. They did lose some speed with the graduation of Kimi Pohlmann and Nikia Williams, but the additional power has been generated by one person in particular, who came out of nowhere this year. Let’s find them in the lineup card:

Victoria Hayward (Jr - RF) - .371 and led the team in batting average, runs (52), hits (65), triples (5), and SB’s (21)
Hooch Fagaly (Jr – 1B) - .358 and led the team in walks (40), slugging (.635) and OBP (.508), tied for lead in HR’s (10). Last year, Fagaly started 51 games and only hit .238 with 4 HR’s. Impressive improvement
Kaitlin Inglesby (Jr – P/DP) - .358 and led the team in RBI’s (58) and total bases (98), tied for lead in HR’s (10)
Kylee Lahners (So - CF) - .318 in 52 starts with 9 HR’s.
Kimberlee Souza (So – 3B) - .310 in 55 starts. Led the team in doubles (12)
Shawna Wright (Sr – C) - .275 in 54 starts
Whitney Jones (Jr - LF) - .278 in 26 starts (50 games). (Whitney may be in the lineup instead of freshman Missy Taukeiaho, who batted .296 in 35 starts, but has been out of the lineup of late as best I can tell)
Jennie McNeil (Fr-SS) - .205 in 51 starts. Led the team in K’s (29)
Kelli Suguro (Jr-2B) - .318 in 40 starts

Holy Juniors, Huskies. Only one senior in the lineup, but as UW is no stranger to this stage. This is their fifth straight Super Regional, so I think they have plenty of experience to go around. Lineup falls off a bit in the 6-7-8 area, but with Suguro batting so well at the bottom of the order, I imagine that does well to set up the folks at the top once the game is into the middle innings. Aside from Hayward, no one on the team has more than four SB’s, so they do not appear to be much of a threat to run.

Washington Defense

55 games. 31 errors. By comparison, Mizzou has played 5 fewer games and has committed 26 more errors. The fielding percentage of .980 for UW means their pitchers have only given up 18 unearned runs on the year. Mizzou will have to earn these wins.

Washington Pitching

The Huskies employ a bit of a two-headed monster, and without getting too in depth, it is almost tough to tell who their #1 is. Kaitlin Inglesby has gone 22-7 in 160.1 innings, while junior Bryana Walker has gone 17-7 in 165. Walker has 32 starts (Inglesby with only 17), and Inglesby has the lone save of the team. So it appears that UW may have won some games late which Walker started but Inglesby finished. Walker is a bit more hit and miss, having given up 136 hits (though none in the close-out game against Hawaii last weekend) and 57 BB’s in her 165 innings. On the other side, Inglesby has given up 141 hits and only 35 walks. Walker has the higher ERA of the two at 3.02 (though this should be just under 3 now since the no-hitter was not included) and has given up 25 HR’s to only 11 for her counterpart. She has more K’s though, with just over 1 per inning at 178 (to 126 for Inglesby). Teams are hitting in the .220’s against Walker, while they are hitting .231 against Inglesby, who has only given up 2 unearned runs. Clearly the defense likes having her out there. Beyond these two there have only been 35 innings pitched, so don’t expect UW to go deep into the pen.

Experience Playing UW

2011 Super Regional – Game 1: Chelsea was DEALING on this day, going the distance with a two-hitter in which she walked two and struck out 13. Mizzou won, 4-0. The Tigers got out to a quick 1-0 lead and never looked back. Nicole Hudson was the hitting hero of the day with a double and HR. Kaitlin Inglesby threw 6 innings, giving up 5 hits, 4 runs, 3 earned with 3 walks and 7 K’s.

2011 Super Regional – Game 2: While not quite as clean and pretty as game 1, the Tigers were rarely in trouble on their way to a WCWS-bid-clinching 6-3 win. Mizzou got out early, scoring 5 off of Inglesby in the first inning, capped off by a Lisa Simmons two-run shot. UW was sketchy in the field with 3 errors, though they did only lead to one unearned run. Thomas surrendered 10 hits, but only gave up runs (2 earned) in the fifth inning as the Huskies halved the Tiger lead. She also walked 2 and struck out 9. Mizzou did only have four hits on the day, but they made them count. Playing in these games for UW who are still with the team this weekend were Inglesby, Wright, Hayward and Jones.

February 25, 2012 in Palm Springs, CA: The #11 Tigers took down the #5 Huskies 2-0 as Chelsea Thomas threw one of her many career no-hitters. Only a Mizzou error by Ashtin Stephens kept it from being a perfect game, as Thomas walked no one and struck out 8. Mizzou plated their two runs in the top of the third with a Stephens single, a triple from Marston, and a SAC fly from Genovese. Bryana Walker went the distance for the Huskies, giving up 4 hits with 3 walks and 5 strike outs. Hayward, Inglesby, Souza, Lahners, Fagaly and Wright all played last year in that game along with Walker.

Overall Thoughts

Make no mistake, this is a VERY good team Mizzou is about to play. But it was a VERY good team when Mizzou won twice in 2011 (with a decent amount of ease), and it was a VERY good team when Chelsea Thomas won via no-hitter last year.

Mizzou has seen both pitchers, and while Inglesby appears to have improved some over last year, Walker has gone a little further in the opposite way (based solely on available stats). The UW lineup is certainly potent, and their defense this year appears to be quite a bit better than the team who gave up 4 errors in 2 games back in 2011 when last they visited University Field.

For the Tigers, the bats cannot wait to produce until the last second as they did last weekend. The team has some experience against Inglesby, but it is only Marston, Hudson and Sykes who faced her back in 2011. If Walker is in the circle, that experience increases to Genovese, Roth, Kelsi Jones, Krebs, Randazzo (also Kingsley who obviously won’t see action). And while they will not be facing Olivia Galati as they did three times last weekend, they did not set the world on fire against SBU. In the circle, you expect a rested and healthy (as we have been led to believe) Thomas in Game 1, and then you really have to hope the symptoms do not reappear. But she will need the defense to play well and avoid extending innings and pitch counts. That has been an occasional issue. I still don’t think it is a terrible idea to throw Hudson in Game 2 if we win Game 1, though it would only be in the name of rest for Thomas and not wearing down Washington's ace (since UW has two of them).

The seeding tells you this is a series we should win. If it was three games over three days, I very much believe we would. I would like to believe Mizzou will play with a strange chip on their shoulder after losing in the Supers last year on their home dirt, and the confidence they may have gained in FINALLY being able to touch Galati could transfer over to this weekend.

**********

Mizzou Links, 5-22-13

2013-05-22T10:06:11Z

1. The pitching staff was wrecked ... and they'd have surely exited quickly ... but damn, go 17 innings, with a ranked team, in single-elimination and lose?

MUtigers.com: Mizzou Drops Marathon SEC Tourney Game, 2-1
KC Star: Missouri’s season ends with 17-inning loss to Mississippi State in SEC tournament
The Missourian: Missouri baseball ends season with 17-inning loss at SEC tournament
Team Speed Kills: SEC Tournament: Mississippi State 2, Missouri 1 (17) -- Closing Time
The Dispatch: ost-game at Hoover Metropolitan Stadium: No. 16 Mississippi State 2, Missouri 1 (17 innings) - Bulldogs outlast Missouri while tying longest ever SEC Tournament game
Al.com: #SECBaseball: Social media reacts to Day 1 of the SEC Tournament

I mean, it's not like we didn't know the fatal flaw that was going to end Mizzou Baseball's season, but damn.

Rob Zastryzny: 9.0 IP, 7 H, 1 ER, 7 K, 2 BB
Keaton Steele: 7.0 IP, 8 H, 0 ER, 5 K, 2 BB

Mizzou Offense: 11-for-57 (.193), 0 RBI, 1 extra-base hit, 16 K, 4 BB

Mizzou took a 1-0 lead (on a wild pitch) in the third inning, then didn't score again. Brutal way to end a rather brutal season.

2. Softball Super Regionals start tomorrow night!

The Trib: Earleywine: No hidden agendas this time
Mizzou Network (YouTube): Tiger Top 5: Mizzou Softball Regionals

3. Yeah, she good

KBIA Sports: By the Numbers: Chelsea Thomas’ Mizzou career in review

4. Aiming high (in a year where that's not going to work very well)

PowerMizzou: Missouri in the Rivals250

A year ago, Missouri's staff ended the 2013 recruiting cycle with offers out to 33 of the final Rivals250. This year -- in May, remember -- that number is already 42, based on the latest release of the Rivals250 presented by Under Armour.

The distribution of Missouri's offers to Rivals250 members shows the change in the staff's recruiting map since the move to the SEC. Twenty of the 42 offers reside in states with an SEC team, which is the same number as the 2013 class. This year, however, Missouri has the most Rivals250 offers in two states:

The Tigers have six offers out to Rivals250 recruits in both Georgia and Illinois.

5. Everybody say hello to this "Dave Matter" guy

Post-Dispatch (Eye on the Tigers): Allow me to introduce myself

You better not stink, new guy!

The transfer epidemic: Why is this a bad thing?

2013-05-21T16:26:30Z

I just cannot get worked up about the supposed "transfer epidemic." Apparently I should, but I can't. If Missouri were to do it above-board and win a lot of games, I'd be okay with the Tigers somehow crafting a roster of only transfers. It's legal. It helps to move student-athletes from a situation they don't want to be in, to one in which they might thrive. There are obvious drawbacks -- potential chemistry issues, to name one -- but if you can win with it, then do it. And if Mizzou wins a national title with transfers playing an enormous role, then go ahead and slap the dreaded "Transfer U" label on this team. I don't mind. We can complain that it's hard to keep rosters straight, but that's our problem. It is legal, and it should be. If you don't want to play the transfer market, then don't. I won't hold that against you.

We can't complain about student-athletes being victimized and then turn around and dump on their ability to leave one school for another. A lot of the people who complain about the transfer epidemic, and call it an "epidemic" in the first place, will also turn around and go on and on about how athletes are victims, that they should be paid, that they don't have enough rights, etc. It's difficult to make that assertion, then state that one of their biggest rights, the ability to transfer to another school (out of your conference) without losing your eligibility, should be further hindered by the already egregious exceptions. I don't enjoy the annual wave of transfers, but in the absence of cost-of-attendance grants or punishments for coaches who are free to jump from one job to another unhindered (and while making millions of dollars), you have to give the students something.

I hate, hate, HATE transfer exceptions. We're all railing on Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy for prohibiting quarterback Wes Lunt from transferring (without punishment) to any SEC school or future OSU opponent (even Central Michigan), and justifiably so. But he's just exercising his rights. That he's a jackass isn't the problem; it's that he has the rights in the first place. I understand you don't necessarily want someone on the opposing team knowing your playbook, your signals, et cetera, but doesn't that happen all the time in the NFL? That's a pretty stupid excuse. Players with one-year scholarships can see their spot on the team cut in a given year for no good reason other than "He stinks." If that's the case, then the school should have no control over the player if he decides, at the end of one of these one-year agreements, to leave for some other program. I like the one-year waiting period because it does limit this from turning into full-fledged free agency, and I also like the "you don't have to sit out if you've graduated and can find the right master's program" and the "Your team is under sanctions, and you had no part in that, so feel free to find another school without sitting out" amendments. And while I don't really hate the "can't transfer within your conference without losing a year of eligibility" rule, but honestly, that's not a necessity either.

Last year was the exception for Missouri, not the rule. Mizzou will be introducing one new transfer to the rotation, and another one the year after that. If they pick up another transfer this year, then I will have to change my tune, but the 2012-13 roster was not the norm for Frank Haith -- it was an attempt to lose 85 percent of your rotation and still field a competitive team. That Earnest Ross, Keion Bell, and Alex Oriakhi all debuted in the same year was probably not something we can expect to happen again. Moving forward, it appears that Haith is content with using about one scholarship per year on a transfer, and why not? You're never going to use a 13-man rotation. If injuries or departures force you to use your 12th or 13th man regularly, you probably have bigger problems than whether you actually have 12 or 13 scholarship players in uniform.

Yes, this rant was spurred, in part, by a piece today by the Post-Dispatch's Jeff Gordon, but not really. It was bubbling up within me already. Gordon's piece is fine, other than the fact that I object to him lumping Keanau Post in with the other transfers. JUCOs are an entirely different (and more common) story. And I still say that this Missouri team had only Top 25 talent, not Top 10 talent, not even necessarily the talent of a "D-League team of fringe pros." But that's really not an argument I can win or lose. Regardless, Gordo's piece is fine. This rant was going to happen at some point regardless.

Mizzou's Greatest, #85: Mizzou 112, Iowa State 109 (2001)

2013-05-21T15:21:38Z

I could jump straight to the end, tell you about all of the hilariously ridiculous stats, the momentum swings, the Good Clarence, and the Bad Clarence. But this game is not meant to be summarized. It was too much. The only way to do it justice is to relive it. Feel free to follow along in the play-by-play. This is going to take a while.

1ST HALF

Kareem Rush makes his first two 3-point attempts of the afternoon, Brian Grawer picks Martin Rancik's pocket, and after a layup by Clarence Gilbert, Mizzou goes up 10-5, and Larry Eustachy calls timeout.

Mizzou completely falls asleep on defense after the timeout. Paul Shirley makes a jumper, Jamaal Tinsley scores off of a Grawer turnover, ISU quickly scores two more layups after missed shots by Gilbert and Rush, and Mizzou calls a timeout, down 13-10, with 14:41 left in the half. In the game's first five minutes, we've already had runs of 10-3 and 8-0.

The offenses cool off for a bit. ISU's Jake Sullivan converts an and-one, and Gilbert misses a couple more shots, but freshmen Arthur Johnson and Travon Bryant each make short jumpers to keep Mizzou close. Bryant scores on a put-back dunk with 8:39 left, and it's 22-18, Iowa State. The teams trade turnovers, and ISU stays up four at the under-8 timeout.

Things get sloppy for a bit. Tyray Pearson and Grawer trade turnovers, then Iowa State commits two more; Mizzou is unable to capitalize, however -- Gilbert is still ice cold -- and a dunk by Shane Power gives ISU a 27-20 lead with 5:51 left. ISU has outscored the Tigers, 22-10, in the last 10 minutes.

Back comes Missouri. Grawer nails a 3-pointer, Rush and Wesley Stokes make jumpers, and another two ISU turnovers give Mizzou a chance to take the lead. But Horton blocks a Rush shot, Sullivan scores a layup on the other end, Stokes misses a 3-pointer, Tinsley makes a jumper, and with 2:58 left, Mizzou calls timeout, once again down 31-27. Following the timeout, Bryant and Shirley exchange turnovers, but Rush and Gilbert each miss jumpers on the following possession. Shirley makes two free throws and a jumper, but Rush responds with a jumper and a 3-pointer with two seconds left in the half. Iowa State controlled most of the last 15 minutes of the half but leads by only a 35-32 margin.

In the first half, ISU dominated near the rim, outscoring Mizzou, 20-12, in the paint. With its fast, fantastic backcourt, ISU won the fast-break points battle, 8-0. But turnovers held ISU back, and second-chance points (Mizzou 4, ISU 0) kept the Tigers in the game.

2ND HALF

The sloppiness continues as the second half begins, but Gilbert finally gets on the board from long-range with 16:43 left. His first 3-pointer cuts Mizzou's deficit to 40-37, and following another exchange of turnovers and a pair of blocks by Bryant and Johnson, it's Gilbert time. 3-pointer with 15:21 left. 43-40. 3-pointer with 14:43 left. 45-43. Gilbert's getting hot, but so is ISU. The Cyclones score on their third straight possession to stay ahead, but an and-one opportunity for Bryant, playing the best game of his career at that point, keeps it at 47-45, ISU, with 14:03 left.

It's 47-46 when Rancik makes a 3-pointer to extend the Cyclones' lead once again. Stokes makes a jumper, but Rancik converts an and-one, and it's 53-48. T.J. Soyoye is called for a technical foul in a mix-up with Jake Sullivan (I have no recollection of this -- anybody remember what happened?), and things go cold again. ISU keeps turning the ball over, and Gilbert cools off, but when Johnson scores on a put-back of a Gilbert miss, it's a 53-51 game. Johnson gets a chance to tie the game a possession later, but he misses the front end of a one-and-one, and Horton makes a 3-pointer. It's 56-51 with 9:25 left.

Hello again, Clarence. He bombs in a 3-pointer with 8:58 left to cut the ISU lead back to two points, and when Tinsley misses two free throws, Gilbert makes another 3-ball, his fifth of the half, to give Mizzou its first lead since the first five minutes of the game. ISU calls a 30-second timeout with 8:01 left, down one.

And then it gets physical again. Tinsley makes two free throws, Gilbert makes two, Grawer makes two to give Mizzou a 61-58 lead, Rush misses a jumper that could have extended the lead, and Tinsley nails a 3-ball to tie the game at 61-61 with 6:34 left. Pearson scores on a transition dunk 30 seconds later, and Mizzou is down again. No worries! Rush makes his first 3-pointer of the half with five minutes left, and after two more free throws by Tinsley, we head into the home stretch tied up.

The teams fed off of each other all game. When one offense heated up, the other responded in kind. When one team started getting to the line, the other did, too. And when one team fell apart offensively, the other obliged then, too. Bryant misses two free throws on one end, and after two missed jumpers and two offensive rebounds, Rancik is only able to make one of two free throws. With 2:30 left, it's only 68-67, but a Pearson dunk extends the ISU lead once again. And both teams begin to tighten up. Soyoye makes one of two free throws on one end, and Tinsley makes one of two on the other. A jumper by Rush gives Mizzou a 72-71 lead with 31 seconds left, but Bryant fouls Shirley on the other end with just 12 ticks left. No worries! He makes the first freebie but misses the second. Tinsley blocks a 3-point attempt by Gilbert at the buzzer, and we are going to overtime. Or, as it will become, the third half.

1ST OVERTIME

From the outset of the (first) overtime period, Mizzou shows no interest in letting this game go any further. Rush makes a jumper, then following another one-for-two performance by Shirley at the line, Rush makes a 3-pointer to put Mizzou up by four. Bryant blocks a Tinsley shot, Gilbert makes two free throws, and Mizzou's up, 79-73, just 54 seconds into overtime. But they'll score only three points in the next four minutes.

Bryant grabs an offensive rebounds and makes one of two free throws.
Rush misses a jumper.
Gilbert misses a jumper.
Johnson makes a short jumper with 2:36 left. Mizzou still up by five, 82-77.
Gilbert misses a 3-pointer with 18 seconds left on the shot clock.
Gilbert misses a jumper.
Rush misses a 3-pointer.

Live by Rush and Gilbert, die by Rush and Gilbert. ISU's offense never really gets on track, but Shirley's jumper with 15 seconds left is enough to send the game to a second overtime following Rush's miss at the buzzer.

2ND OVERTIME

Now it's ISU's turn to take control, mostly because Mizzou's offense has completely fallen apart. Bryant misses two free throws, Gilbert misses a layup, Johnson commits a turnover, and two Power free throws give ISU an 86-82 lead. Rush makes a layup, but Tinsley responds with a 3-pointer, and it's 89-84 with 2:35 left. Mizzou has scored five points on its last 11 possessions. But Grawer responds with a 3-pointer, and Tinsley fouls out. Following a jumper by Rancik, Gilbert finds his range again. His 3-pointer makes it 91-90 with 1:20 left. Mizzou gets the ball back 30 seconds later, still down one. Gilbert misses a jumper, but Johnson pulls down the rebound. He misses the put-back, but Grawer grabs the rebound and dishes to Gilbert, who's fouled. As is the trend for the game, Gilbert makes one of two to tie the game with 32 seconds left, and Iowa State holds for the last shot.

Now, I cannot express how close we came to the greatest ending of all-time. Grawer didn't miss by much. Since it's been so long since I saw this game, maybe it's closer in my head than it was in real-life (kind of like Al Sterling's "interception" in the final minute of the 1997 Mizzou-Nebraska game). (Oh, screw that. I will always maintain that Sterling picked that ball off, dammit.)

So ISU holds for the last shot. With five seconds left, Shirley misses a jumper. Grawer pulls down the rebound at the free throw line, turns, and fires the ball about 75 feet, dead online with the basket, which is about 76 feet away. I may not remember how close he really came, but I remember the sound in the Hearnes Center. ooooooAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHoohhhhhhh. We watch the ball just in case, never expecting it to actually go in. And then, my God, it almost goes in.

3RD OVERTIME

The buzz continues throughout the ensuing commercial break. It is something I've never really felt/heard before, the combination of a "Can you believe this game???" rumble and "MY GOD, WE ALMOST WON ON A 75-FOOTER AT THE BUZZER. DAMMIT, WHY COULDN'T WE HAVE WON ON A 75-FOOTER AT THE BUZZER." But there's more basketball to be played, and both offenses are once again finding their rhythm.

Grawer, on the heels of the near miss, makes a jumper 14 seconds into the period, but Power responds 20 seconds later. Shirley makes two free throws, and Soyoye makes a jumper, his only field goal of the afternoon. (That's right. Soyoye played 39 minutes and barely existed -- three points on 1-for-3 shooting. But his eight rebounds were huge, and he didn't foul out.) Only Clarence Gilbert isn't hot, which is a problem, because he keeps shooting. He misses a 3-pointer with 4:01 left, misses another with 2:49 left, and misses another with 42 seconds left. He's fouled while shooting another with 1:51 left but makes only one of three freebies. The teams trade jumpers, but Horton makes two free throws to give ISU a 101-98 lead with just 31 seconds left. Just seven seconds later, Power blocks a jumper by Rush, and it begins to look dire.

Naturally, Gilbert grabs the ball. Naturally, he immediately fires a 3-pointer. Naturally, it goes in. Horton misses a jumper at the buzzer. Fourth overtime.

This was the Clarence Gilbert game. Only Clarence could kill and save his team repeatedly. Only Clarence could score 43 points on 36 shots -- THIRTY-SIX -- and 17 free throws. Only Clarence could score 43 points at all while the crowd yelled at Quin Snyder to take him out of the game for about 50 of the 56 minutes he was on the court. He was … Clarence. He was one of a kind, I miss him, and I'm not sure I want to live through him playing for my team again. I talk sometimes about players who "take up all the oxygen in the room." Clarence took up all the oxygen and replaced it with something both toxic and intoxicating, deadly and addictive.

4TH OVERTIME

MORE FREE BASKETBALL. Shirley makes two free throws to start things off, but Bryant, incredibly, makes two of his own. (The freshman version of Travon Bryant was one of the worst free throw shooters I've ever seen. He was Monte Hardge on a bad day. He made these two free throws and missed 23 of the other 30 that he took last year. That he made 72 percent as a senior was absolutely miraculous improvement.)

Rush scores on an and-one with 3:59 left, and Mizzou's up by three. Gilbert makes two free throws a minute later, and following a turnover by Zach Fortune, playing for the first time all game because Tinsley, Power and Pearson have fouled out, Gilbert scores on a fast break to put Mizzou up, 110-105. Sullivan misses a 3-pointer, but Rancik grabs the rebound and makes two free throws. And then Rush misses a damned 3-pointer. Shirley scores, and then Gilbert misses a damned 3-pointer. When that's all you can do, you keep doing it even when you're ahead. Mizzou has dropped the dagger and leads by only one, 110-109, with 47 seconds left. But the Tiger defense responds. ISU cannot find a shot. With one second left on the shot clock, Sullivan misses, and Grawer (of all people) grabs the rebound. He makes two free throws, and naturally, Gilbert blocks Jake Sullivan's shot at the buzzer. Mizzou 112, Iowa State 109.

**********

When you play a 60-minute game, there will be a legion of statistical oddities. Here are some of the more absurd stat lines:

Clarence Gilbert: 56 minutes, 43 points (5-for-18 2PT, 7-for-18 3PT, 12-for-17 FT), 4 rebounds (two offensive), NINE assists, two steals. He shot 28 percent on 2-pointers and scored 43 points. He took 36 shots AND dished nine assists. Clarence, man.
Kareem Rush: 55 minutes, 32 points (8-for-21 2PT, 5-for-10 3PT, 1-for-1 FT), four rebounds (two offensive).
Brian Grawer: 47 minutes, no missed shots. 1-for-1 on 2-pointers, 2-for-2 on 3-pointers (the 75-footers at the buzzer only count if they go in), 4-for-4 from the line. He also grabbed six rebounds, three on offense.
Arthur Johnson: 40 minutes, eight points (4-for-8 2PT, 0-for-2 FT), 12 rebounds (FIVE offensive), two blocks.
Travon Bryant: 31 minutes, nine points (3-for-3 2PT, 3-for-9 FT), six rebounds (two offensive), three blocks.
Kentrail Horton: 53 minutes, 14 points (3-for-5 2PT, 2-for-4 3PT, 2-for-2 FT), nine rebounds, four assists, three steals, five fouls.
ISU: seven players with at least eight points, three with at least 20.
59 fouls, 75 free throw attempts. Four Cyclones fouled out, and four Tigers reached four, but the difference in the game was probably that Rush, Soyoye, Bryant, and Justin Gabe (in 10 minutes, naturally) all stopped at four.
Mizzou: 24-for-58 on 2-pointers (41%), 14-for-32 on 3-pointers (44%).

This was not a game. It was an experience. It had become a classic about 15 minutes before it ended, it featured 15 ties and countless momentum swings. Mizzou lost the game 16 times and won it 17 times (and then lost three straight games following the win). ISU survived for 10 minutes without Tinsley and almost won despite 23 turnovers.

Mizzou-Iowa State 2001 brought you to insanity, then kept going. And there's no way this list was being created without this game.

Rock M Nation - All Posts

2013 NCAA Softball live thread: Washington at Mizzou (Game 1)

Mizzou's Greatest, #83: Danny LaRose

Mizzou Links, 5-23-13

1. Tonight, 8:00 p.m. CT.

2. How's Chelsea's arm? We'll find out

3. Baseball's fatal flaw

4. 2014 Football recruiting, position-by-position

5. SPOOOOOOOOOOOOOON

Mizzou's Greatest, #84: Missouri 3, Notre Dame 0 (1978)

2013 NCAA Softball Super Regionals: Mizzou-Washington preview

Washington Schedule/Results

Washington in Non-Conference

Washington In Conference

Common Opponents

Washington Offense

Washington Defense

Washington Pitching

Experience Playing UW

Overall Thoughts

Mizzou Links, 5-22-13

1. The pitching staff was wrecked ... and they'd have surely exited quickly ... but damn, go 17 innings, with a ranked team, in single-elimination and lose?

2. Softball Super Regionals start tomorrow night!

3. Yeah, she good

4. Aiming high (in a year where that's not going to work very well)

5. Everybody say hello to this "Dave Matter" guy

The transfer epidemic: Why is this a bad thing?

Mizzou's Greatest, #85: Mizzou 112, Iowa State 109 (2001)

1ST HALF

2ND HALF

1ST OVERTIME

2ND OVERTIME

3RD OVERTIME

4TH OVERTIME