Missouri softball fans will get a preview of what to expect this season at the Black and Gold Game on Saturday. Coming off an 11th straight postseason appearance, the No. 17-ranked Tigers look ready to contend in the loaded Southeastern Conference.

However, before SEC contention and College World Series hopes can enter the minds of Mizzou fans, questions surrounding the Tigers and their pitching staff must be answered.

For starters, the offseason saw the loss of two key contributors.

Ace Paige Lowary transferred to the University of Oklahoma, the team ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll. Lowary went 25-8 last year with a respectable 3.25 ERA.

Senior Tori Finucane, originally pegged to replace Lowary as the ace in the rotation, also transferred in the offseason. She left for the University of Minnesota. Last season, Finucane was hampered by a hairline fracture to her sinus, but she was looking to return to the form that made her the 2014 SEC freshman of the year.

That being said, Mizzou’s pitching staff still has the pieces to hold its own.

Danielle Baumgartner is coming off a stellar freshman season that saw her finish 14-4 and post a 1.98 ERA. She will be entrusted to lead this Mizzou team on the mound, and she has a knack for rising to the occasion.

Baumgartner pitched four complete games and three shutouts last season, including one against No. 17 Arizona State. Her masterpiece came against No. 16 Texas A&M, when she only allowed one run over the course of six and two-thirds innings. Texas A&M had the sixth-highest scoring offense in the NCAA last season, averaging 7.27 runs per game.

Returning alongside Baumgartner is senior Cheyenne Baxter. Baxter was especially lethal out of the bullpen last season and allowed no runs eight times. Baxter has been impressing in practice, reportedly fooling hitters into light contact or making them miss altogether.

Perhaps most enticing is freshman Parker Conrad. Conrad is a power pitcher with a fastball that consistently clocks in between 65-67 mph. PowerMizzou.com listed her as one of five Tiger athletes to keep an eye out for in 2017.

Mizzou’s 2016 season ended with a loss to Michigan in the NCAA Super Regional. Any possibility of returning to that point, or even advancing further, hinges on the performance of the pitching staff.

_Edited by Eli Lederman | elederman@themaneater.com_