Sept. 22, 2011

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Coming off their third consecutive trip to the Women's College World Series, the Missouri softball team will open their fall schedule this Friday, Sept. 23, with a doubleheader at University Field. Game one against Maple Woods Community College will begin at 4 p.m. CT, with the second game, against North Central Missouri College, starting at 6 p.m.

In all, the Tigers will host eight fall games over the course of the next four Fridays. All games will be played at University Field, and all games are open to the public with free admission. Live stats will be provided at mutigers.com.

After three straight seasons resulting in a trip to the World Series, the Tigers will look a bit different this year. Gone is one of the most successful senior classes in program history, and joining the program are 10 highly-touted freshmen. Mizzou returns redshirt junior Chelsea Thomas, one of three finalists for USA Softball's National Player of the Year award, along with fellow All-American Ashley Fleming and All-Conference honorees Nicole Hudson and Jenna Marston.