No. 15 Missouri softball (42–14) closed out regional play this weekend in dominant fashion, with a 9–0 run-rule victory over Nebraska (35–21) in the championship game. The win was Missouri’s third-straight run-rule shutout of the weekend, and its eighth regional title during Ehren Earleywine’s time as coach.
It very well could have been Earleywine’s last game with Missouri, amid an athletic administration investigation; there has been no word on whether Earleywine will be allowed to return as head coach next year.
“I hope that this is not my last game here,” Earleywine said. “This is my home, I love being here, and I love being the coach. I hope the administration will see that way as well.”
There was no lack of support for the mid-Missouri native, though, as fans and players alike routinely expressed their support for Earleywine through T-shirts, posters and cheers.
Junior Kirsten Mack said it helped to be at home for the regional with the fans pushing the Tigers forward.
“I think there was a sense of pride this weekend in playing for Coach E,” she said. “We always go out there to win, but I think our fans did a really good job of keeping us in it the whole time.”
The Tigers outscored their three opponents 26–0, with four doubles, three home runs, 22 RBIs and 10 stolen bases.
Earleywine said this weekend was the most impressive run of games that he’s ever seen by a team that he has coached in the postseason.
“It probably gets old for media and people to hear coaches talk about resiliency and ‘my team’s been through a lot,’ but ours has,” Earleywine said. “It’s been amazing watching them perform under the pressure and the naysayers.”
Mizzou brought the bats in the top of the first inning, with the seniors leading the attack. A double from Sami Fagan scored Taylor Gadbois and Emily Crane. Fagan then scored when she stole home as freshman Regan Nash stole second base.
Mack followed with a three-run home run that snuck over the left field fence to give Missouri a 6–0 lead heading into the bottom of the first inning.
“I’ve been struggling lately, so it just felt good to get that ball over the wall,” Mack said. “Today I hit smarter than I had all weekend. Nebraska was jamming me, so that’s the film I watched, and I went up there knowing what pitch she was going to throw me.”
The score remained the same until the fourth inning, when the top of the order brought the attack again. Fagan ripped another RBI to center field to score Gadbois. Crane then scored on an error, and a sacrifice fly by junior Amanda Sanchez brought the score to 9–0.
“The top of their order is as tough as any top of the order in the country,” Nebraska coach Rhonda Revelle said. “The speed, the power, and what they can do is tough. It’s pretty special.”
Offense wasn’t the only thing that shone this weekend; sophomore pitcher Paige Lowary tossed three complete games and impressed pretty much everyone watching, including her catcher.
“Impressive is about the only way you can describe it,” Mack said. “Three shutout wins, those games are easy to catch. You’re just sitting there waiting for her to pop the glove, and it’s fun. Those games are fun because you’re doing so little, and it’s amazing being able to call a pitch and her throw it.”
Lowary pitched 16 innings, threw 266 pitches and only allowed eight hits and four walks during the weekend.
And she said she could still throw more.
“My pitches are just coming together,” Lowary said. “I’ve struggled with control all year, but I’m coming back from that now and it’s working.”
Saturday’s game might have been the last game for the Tigers at University Field, with a new stadium potentially coming in time for the 2017 home opener.
Mack said that the team takes a lot of pride in their field because even though it’s not the best facility ever, recruiting is strong as ever.
“You go to these other teams and they have all the facilities in the world,” she said. “But Coach E is still able to get recruits to come here, and I think that’s a testament to him because our facilities are not good. And when you’re 12 or 13 years old, you look for the wow factor. We can’t wow you with our facilities, but our coaches and the players can.”
The Tigers head to Ann Arbor for Super Regionals against No. 2 Michigan next weekend, in hopes of making the Women’s College World Series.
“I think we can go to the World Series,” Earleywine said. “But first things first, we have to beat Michigan. We’re going to go compete, really really hard in Ann Arbor. And if they beat us, they beat us, but I guarantee that we’re going to fight.”
_Edited by Alec Lewis | alewis@themaneater.com_