Mizzou Softball vs. Texas Longhorns

"So Texas lost to Texas A&M last night, meaning Mizzou and the 'Horns are now tied in the loss column. So uh, if you're not doing anything this weekend, there's a gigantic softball series taking place in Como ... Texas-Mizzou for the conference lead..." (RockMNation.com)

The Baseball Tigers are out of town, so I'm hoping to finally get over to University Field and see the Softball Tigers take on Texas. Join me in cheering them on and helping them set a new attendance record.

A few links to help you brush up on your MU Softball knowledge.

■ Black Out University Field: Tigers host No. 3 Texas to determine the Big 12 championship (mutigers.com)

The fate of the Big 12 championship comes down to this weekend, as the No. 8 Missouri softball team plays host to the No. 3 Texas Longhorns in arguably the biggest regular season series to ever be played at University Field. At 44-6 overall and 13-2 in conference play, Texas is currently in first place in the conference, with Missouri (42-6) a game behind at 11-2 in Big 12 action.

Saturday’s game begins at 2 p.m. CT, with Sunday’s finale starting at Noon. Sunday’s game will air live nationally on ESPN, with Cara Capuano and Jessica Mendoza on the call.
. . .
ARRIVE EARLY
Fans are encouraged to get to University Field as early as possible, as record-setting crowds are expected. Gates open an hour prior to first pitch. There is limited parking available around the field, but plenty of spaces down by the Reactor lot. Golf cart shuttles will be running back and forth from the field to Reactor all weekend long.

BLACK OUT
Though Sunday’s game is officially the Black Out game, the softball team wants fans to wear their black attire all weekend long. A packed house with everyone wearing the same color makes for a great atmosphere and shows off the unity of the Mizzou fan base on national television.

BREAK THE ATTENDANCE RECORD
We’re hoping to pack 2,000 fans into University Field on each day this weekend, and we need your help to accomplish that. University Field’s regular season attendance record is 1,712, set three weekends ago in the series finale against the Oklahoma Sooners. The overall record was set last year during game one of the NCAA Super Regionals with Oregon, as 1,765 fans showed up for that contest.

■ Team looks to bounce back with win over surging Tigers (The Daily Texan)

These two softball powerhouses sit even atop the Big 12 standing going into this series, and since no other team is within striking distance of these two, this pair of games will decide it.

“I think it’s definitely going to be a big weekend for both teams,” said sophomore Blaire Luna. “I think we’re really pumped up to be in this situation. We’ll be practicing hard all week for it because this is what we’ve worked for and talked about.”
. . .
Texas won the title last year based on its tournament mettle, earning the title after a strong run. But this year, the championship will not be decided in that way, as this year’s Big 12 season will not have a
tournament. The coaches decided the tournament hurt the athletes academically, being so close to finals, so they got rid of it.

■ Softball Preview: No. 9/8 Missouri (texassports.com)

The Horns are ranked No. 3 in the most recent USA Today/National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) poll released May 3... nine of Texas' opponents are ranked in the poll with two of them being ranked in the top 10 ... six other Big 12 teams are ranked in the Top 25 ... Missouri is the highest ranked Big 12 team behind UT, holding the No. 9 spot, Nebraska ranks 14th, Oklahoma ranks 15th, Oklahoma State ranks 16th, Baylor holds the 20th spot and Texas A&M ranks 22nd ... Texas' No. 3 ranking on April 12 marked its highest ranking since it ranked second on May 10, 2006.

■ Thomas sets strikeout record in Missouri softball team's double header sweep Columbia Missourian)

Thomas' eighth strikeout during Wednesday's game, in the top of the sixth inning against Western Illinois at University Field, was strikeout No. 287 on the year for Thomas, meaning the Missouri record books will have to place her name at the top of another list.
. . .
That wasn't enough for Thomas. It was announced Wednesday that Thomas will be joining teammate Rhea Taylor in California this summer to try out for the USA women's national softball team.

■ Softball freshman Ruggeberg embraces opportunity (The Maneater)

“I gave her another at-bat, she hit a home run, and before you know it, she’s in the lineup every day,” Earleywine said. “Not only does she get playing time, but she wasn’t touted to get playing time. It’s further proof that when you get your opportunities, do something with them, and we will give you more opportunities.”

Ruggeberg made the most of her chance on the way to one of the more impressive freshman campaigns in recent Missouri history. She ranks third on the team with a .339 batting average and has 37 hits, four home runs and 23 RBIs on the season.

■ Mizzou's Chelsea Thomas commands attention (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)

Armed with a fastball that can hit 73 mph and a changeup that can hit 50 — think what that will do to your timing — and command of pitches that rise and drop, Thomas has blossomed into one of college softball's elite pitchers. Choose your stat: She has the best ERA in the country at 0.72, a 23-4 record and is fifth in the nation with 11.4 strikeouts per seven innings. She's thrown 10 shutouts and two perfect games (plus another she shared with a teammate).

■ Chelsea Thomas pitches to perfection: Twice! (hercampus.com)

Meet Chelsea Thomas, a collegiette™ who knows what it’s like to be perfect. As a pitcher for the No. 12 ranked softball team, Chelsea threw the first perfect game for Mizzou since 2002 March 2, 2011. Later that week, she did it again.
. . .
Actually, I didn't realize I was throwing a perfect game. I've adopted a new mode of thinking this year: pitch-by-pitch. I try to focus on winning one pitch at a time. I am very focused on this way of thinking during the game, so I never actually realized I threw a perfect game until after the game.