Missouri Tigers
Overall Rank: #11
Conference Rank: #6 SEC
Missouri has made 3 WCWS appearances (2009-11), 8 NCAA Super Regionals since 2008 and 10 straight NCAA Regionals. While off the field things were rough last year for the team, the team managed to put it out of their minds and still have a deep run in the NCAA Tournament that ended in the Super Regional round when they were eliminated by Michigan. Gone is all the drama from last year. Coach Ehren Earleywine always had the team's support, but he also now has the school administrations. Any player that didn't want to be there has transferred and now the team is ready to continue the success of last year’s season.
2016: 42-16, 14-10
2016 Postseason: NCAA
Coach: Ehren Earleywine
Key Departed Players:
Paige Lowary, P, 3.25 ERA, 191 IP, 151 SO
Tori Finucane, P, 5.39 ERA, 37.2 IP, 34 SO
Emily Crane, OF, .404 BA, 17 HR, 61 RBI
Taylor Gadbois, OF, .396 BA, 1 HR, 19 RBI
Sami Fagen, IF, .434 BA, 11 HR, 54 RBI
Key Returning Players:
Danielle Baumgartner, P, 1.98 ERA, 109.1 IP, 53 SO
Cheyenne Baxter, P, 3.46 ERA, 30.1 IP, 23 SO
Amanda Sanchez, IF, .354 BA, 6 HR, 42 RBI
Regan Nash, OF, .336 BA, 0 HR, 12 RBI
Chloe Rathburn, UT, .330 BA, 15 HR, 60 RBI
Rylee Pierce, UT, .318 BA, 8 HR, 32 RBI
Projection:
Missouri had a really good season last year but unfortunately they have lost several of the starting players from that team, including big names like hitters Emily Crane and Sami Fagen to graduation. They also need to rebuild their pitching staff with the transfers of Paige Lowary to Oklahoma and Tori Finucane to Minnesota. All is not lost though and the team still has pitcher Danielle Baumgartner returning who put up some impressive numbers last year, including an era of 1.98 and a 14-4 record in her freshman year. Look for Missouri to use the combination of contact hitting and speed, along with some power hitting, to win many games this season and make another good run in the NCAA Tournament this year if their pitching holds together.
Projected Postseason: NCAA Softball Tournament
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