It was another tremendous year for the Missouri softball team, which finished the season 42-16 overall. The Tigers fought to the end for a Southeastern Conference East Division title, reached the NCAA Tournament for the ninth consecutive season and hosted and won its own regional. We revisit Mizzou’s run to super regionals in a season to remember.
**1. Tigers stay in Top 25 for entire season**
Mizzou finished the regular season ranked No. 12 in the nation. The Tigers have been ranked in the top 25 in both the USA Today/NCFA Coaches and ESPN.com/USA Softball polls for the past seven seasons. The last time the Tigers were not a ranked team? June 9, 2010.
**2. Fagan steps up**
Junior shortstop Sami Fagan was the star of Mizzou softball this season. The Florida transfer led the Tigers in batting average (.368), hits (63), runs (58), doubles (12), triples (3), RBI (66), slugging percentage (.702) and walks (37). Fagan was named to the Second Team All-SEC and held a 32-game on-base streak at one point, which was tied for the second-longest streak in school history. She will likely take another step forward next season and should be considered an early candidate for National Player of the Year.
**3. Sanchez impresses in freshman season**
Freshman Amanda Sanchez needed no time adjusting to the college softball level, turning in an exceptional first year. The Tigers sensation broke the school record for RBI as a freshman with 56 on the season. The previous record was 55 by Micaela Minner in 2005. She was also three home runs away from moving past Minner for the freshman home run record (17). Nicknamed “Slamchez,” the West Covina, California, native was named to the Freshman All-SEC Team this year and will continue to develop into a big-time player in the coming years.
**4. Finucane and Lowary shine in the circle**
The Tigers leaned heavily on their two young pitchers in freshman Paige Lowary and sophomore Tori Finucane all season. Following an impressive freshman campaign in which she went 21-6, Finucane was equally as dominant in her second season as a Tiger. She compiled a 22-8 mark with a 3.03 ERA and appeared in 41 games this year (30 starts), earning her Second Team All-SEC honors. Finucane’s counterpart, Lowary, also had an excellent year in the circle. Lowary finished 17-7 on the season with a 3.40 ERA and also collected four saves. Finucane provided one of the more memorable moments for the Tigers this season, tossing a complete game, one-hit shutout against Mississippi State to open up SEC Tournament play. Likewise, Lowary also had a string of impressive performances, including a complete game victory over No. 3 LSU on April 25. With Finucane and Lowary as the staple of Mizzou’s pitching staff, the Tigers have a lot to look forward to in 2016.
**5. Mizzou hosts Columbia Regional for seventh consecutive season**
For the seventh straight year, Mizzou was a regional host in the NCAA tournament. The Tigers welcomed Kansas, Indiana State and Louisville to University Field and went a perfect 3-0 on their home turf. In the opener, the Tigers rolled over Indiana State thanks to a combined two-hit shutout from Finucane and sophomore Cheyenne Baxter. Mizzou then knocked off border rival Kansas in consecutive games by scores of 5-3 and 7-6 to advance to super regionals. Unfortunately for Mizzou, that is where its 2015 journey would end. The Tigers ran into a brick wall against No. 7 seed UCLA, dropping each of the first two games against the Bruins in a best-of-three series.
Despite a disappointing end, it was another tremendous year for Mizzou softball. Look for the Tigers to be back as a regional host next season.