There can only be nine players on a softball diamond for one team at any given time. With the addition of a designated player, the number of total starters jumps to 10. 

With 22 players on the Missouri softball roster, it’s impossible to fit every player into a starting role. There are still ways for each player to receive a certain level of playing time. Take freshmen outfielders Claire Cahalan and Danielle Blackstun, acting as the team’s primary pinch runners, as an example.

As pinch runners, Cahalan and Blackstun are brought in as pure speedsters, attempting to use their natural talents to help quicker runners on base and increasing the likelihood of the team scoring runs. As a duo, the pair combined for 200 stolen bases during their high school careers.

One example came during a home game against SIU-Edwardsville. After a single from freshman Abby Hay, Cahalan was brought in to pinch run. Freshman Stefania Abruscato knocked a single into right field, and Cahalan used her quickness to dart all the way home. This added an insurance run, helping Missouri hold onto a 4-1 victory.

“Claire [Cahalan] had [a] great read, there was no hesitation whatsoever,” head coach Larissa Anderson said after the game. “As soon as that ball was hit she knew she was scoring.”

Anderson talks in detail about the importance of “knowing your role”, recognizing the unique skill set possessed by each individual player and how that can directly lead to wins for Missouri.

“Blackstun and Cahalan can get in the game every single game and win [it] for us,” Anderson said.

Before the season, Anderson sat each player down to discuss what their role would be for the upcoming season. While Blackstun and Cahalan have only combined for one start, the duo have played in nearly every game on the season. 

“If coach [Anderson] believes in me on the base paths, I obviously can believe in myself,” Blackstun said. “I know that’s the best way we can win.”

As pinch runners, there is more to being an effective option than just speed. A pinch runner needs to watch the pitcher’s movement to determine a pitch type and its potential location to see if stealing would be a wise move.

In addition to pitch-watching, Blackstun mentioned the importance of her “jump,” or her move pushing off the base. With the new ability to challenge the majority of plays in softball, it’s important not to leave the base early and risk being called out upon review.

To stay ready whenever their name may be called, the reserves run to the outfield wall after every inning to keep their legs loose. 

Blackstun has gotten into the habit of taking “mental reps”: assessing another runner’s situation and what she would do in a given scenario.

“On fly balls [asking] would I tag on this … just try to figure that out,” Blackstun said.

Both Cahalan and Blackstun have faced difficulty adjusting to collegiate pitching in their limited opportunities. Both players were categorized as “slappers” coming out of high school, meaning they succeeded by putting the ball in play by slapping it into the ground, then using their speed to beat the throw to first. 

This sort of batting approach is hard to make work at the collegiate level due to the excellent fielding ability of the infielders. After batting .525 her senior year of high school, Cahalan is 3-13 in her first year at Missouri. 

“In the fall I only swung away, they didn’t let me slap at all,” Cahalan said. “Being able to slap, bunt and hit was really important.”

Despite playing very similar roles, Cahalan and Blackstun took very different paths to end up in Columbia.

Cahalan was born in Alabama and moved to Georgia, attending Northside High School. Softball is a crucial sport in the south, as the warm weather allows tournaments to be played year round. 

“The two powerhouses in the south were Birmingham and Atlanta … you start from such a young age and you just grow up with those girls and you get to see them progress and then grow too,” Cahalan said. 

Cahalan was a two-sport athlete, playing flag football in addition to softball. The sport was sponsored by the Atlanta Falcons as a way to introduce a larger number of girls to play football.

“I just wanted something that would allow me to be competitive and show off my speed because those are my two strong suits,” Cahalan said.

With her focus still on softball, Cahalan was recruited to the University of Missouri. After stepping foot on campus and seeing the iconic columns, she knew it was the place for her.

After officially committing as a Tiger, it was time to pick a number. Cahalan decided to go with No. 8, honoring the late Mississippi State player Alex Wilcox who passed away in 2018 after a battle with ovarian cancer. 

The pair were both from Alabama and played for the Birmingham Thunderbolts travel team six years apart.

“[Birmingham] retired [Wilcox’s] number when she passed away … once I got here the number was available, so I picked it back up,” Cahalan said. “So just wearing it to honor her.”

For Blackstun, the journey to Columbia was a lot shorter. She is a native of O’Fallon, one of 10 Missouri natives on the roster. 

Blackstun comes from a long line of athletic success, with five known relatives participating in collegiate athletics. One of these relatives includes step-grandmother Heidi Brown, who pitched for Missouri softball during the late 1980s.

“I just feel like they’re so proud of me,” Blackstun said. “That’s all I really want to do is make my family proud.”

However, Blackstun’s calling wasn’t always softball. She also played volleyball through middle school. Unfortunately, both sports take place in the fall season in Missouri, so Blackstun needed to make a choice. 

The decision received a level of clarity after Blackstun traveled to Oklahoma City for a softball tournament. During the tournament, her and the rest of her teammates were able to watch parts of the Women’s College World Series. At that moment, Blackstun’s goals became clear.

“My parents always told me they have this vivid memory of me turning around and being like, ‘I want to be here one day,’” Blackstun said.

Not only have Cahalan and Blackstun firmly cemented themselves in Columbia, but have now made significant impacts in the lives of one another. The pair are currently roommates alongside fellow freshmen Marissa McCann and Natalie Touchet. 

The group of newcomers is always looking for opportunities to bond, whether it be sharing energy drinks on a long bus ride home or popping down to Insomnia late at night for a “sweet treat” of milk and cookies.

This freshmen class recruited by coach Anderson is known for their energetic antics, and the four “roomies” are no different.

“We have these moments where everything is funny,” Blackstun said. “It’s always later at night and those are the best moments … it’s those [laughs] that you build abs on.”

Cahalan, Blackstun and their never-ending positivity and drive have helped leap Missouri to a consensus top 15 team in the nation. 

Blackstun is still searching for that road to Oklahoma City, and this Missouri team along with Cahalan appears poised for its best chance in years. 

Copy edited by Grace Knight | gknight@themaneater.com

Edited by Genevieve Smith | gsmith@themaneater.com