One season after becoming the NCAA single-season saves record holder with 15 in 30 appearances, Taylor Pannell has taken on a new role for the Tigers.
The junior has jumped into the starting rotation twice in the Tigers’ past 11 games.
“I think the most impressive thing is that she’s able to go the distance,” Missouri coach Larissa Anderson said. “Her conditioning level is extremely strong for someone who’s only thrown one or two innings in their spots. … I’m not seeing a drop off in her endurance.”
The longest outing of Pannell’s first two seasons was a 4-inning appearance against South Carolina late in the season last year, but she stepped into the circle in the first inning for the first time on Feb. 20 when the Tigers faced Rutgers and immediately set a new career high.
She fired a complete-game shutout, throwing seven innings and allowing just eight baserunners, while striking out seven batters.
Then she jumped back into the circle to start the Tigers’ matchup against South Dakota State on Saturday and hurled a five-inning complete game, allowing just one run and five baserunners, while striking out another seven batters as the Tigers won 10-1.
“Her pitching endurance, her ability to be able to keep batters off balance the second and third time through the lineup is something that she hasn’t done until this point in time,” Anderson said.
And being able to turn to Pannell from time to time has given more advantages to the Tigers than just two good starts. It’s helped as Missouri transitions from having a multi-year ace in Lauren Krings to the next chapter of Tiger pitchers, so far led by sophomore Marissa McCann.
McCann has already made nine starts this season for the Tigers in just 21 total Missouri games, and had some struggles though a stretch of six games.
But since Pannell’s first start on Feb. 20, McCann has made five appearances, including three complete games, culminating in a one-run win against Nebraska on Saturday.
“She has to learn how to be an ace, she wasn’t an ace last year and she has the ability,” Anderson said of McCann. “... I mean, we’re throwing her against the best competition that we’re facing and she’s realizing that she can beat anybody in the country and it’s just putting seven innings together and, you know, being a little bit more competitive at times.”
McCann and Cierra Harrison were essentially splitting starts through the early-season tournaments, but Anderson said being able to spell them for a game here or there will be a key to keeping the pair of primary starters fresh throughout the 56-game season.
And Anderson isn’t just throwing Pannell out there whenever it feels right, there is a lot of research going into when the best opportunities are.
“When I’m scouting teams, I watch every single hitter multiple times, I’m probably watching close to 60 pitches thrown at every single hitter of every team that we play,” Anderson said. “So there’s a lot of work that goes into it and I know what the potential is of every single pitcher on our staff and I want the best matchup. So putting Taylor in those situations, it’s watching the opposing team and seeing Taylor would be the best pitcher in that situation based on what those hitters’ strengths and weaknesses are.”
So while Anderson is picking her spots, Pannell will continue working out of both the rotation and the bullpen as one of the best closers in college softball has almost instantly become a fantastic third option for the Tigers to turn to in the rotation.
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