Missouri
Missouri State Lady Bears sweep Indiana trip. Here’s where they stand now.
The Lady Bears swept their two-game road trip in Indiana to set up the biggest game remaining on their regular season schedule.
A 59-51 win over Indiana State on Thursday and a 73-56 win over Evansville on Saturday will see Missouri State travel to play Drake in a game needed to stay in contention for a Missouri Valley Conference title.
As of Saturday evening, the Lady Bears were one game behind Belmont for second place in the MVC standings and two behind Drake for first. They would still need to do their part and receive some help over the final five games of the regular season to claim at least a share of the league.
Missouri State (17-6, 11-3) will play the Bulldogs at 6 p.m. in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday.
More: Missouri State basketball not making excuses for itself after snapping losing streak
Missouri State Lady Bears needed second-half rallies to win both games
The Lady Bears trailed in both their road games this weekend.
They trailed by as many as seven in the third quarter at Indiana State and found themselves down by four late in the third quarter against the Purple Aces.
The win over Indiana State saw MSU hold the Sycamores to just two makes from the field in the fourth quarter. Kennedy Taylor scored 10 of her team-high 14 points in the second half with Lacy Stokes scoring six of MSU’s 16 fourth-quarter points.
Against Evansville, the Lady Bears, again, held their opponent to just two makes from the field in the final quarter. MSU finished the game on a 15-2 run with Taylor scoring all 10 of her points in the second half.
More: What to know about Missouri State baseball in 2024, including Keith Guttin’s final season
Where the MSU Lady Bears stand now
Missouri State has six games remaining before Hoops in the Heartland. It has a two-game lead over fourth-place Northern Iowa for third place in the standings. MSU is in a good spot to earn a first-round bye in the MVC Tournament next month.
Drake is MSU’s toughest remaining opponent. Thursday will be the only time the two play during the regular season.
The Lady Bears have beaten every other team remaining on their schedule except for Illinois State who they played in Normal, Illinois, on Jan. 14 and lost 85-78. The March 2 rematch could have seeding implications when the Redbirds were 2.5 games behind the Lady Bears ahead of ISU’s Saturday evening game.
Missouri State will return home to play Southern Illinois on Feb. 25 at 2 p.m.
Wyatt D. Wheeler is a reporter and columnist with the Springfield News-Leader. You can contact him at 417-371-6987, by email at wwheeler@news-leader.com or X at @WyattWheeler_NL.
Missouri
Missouri state representative says daughter, son-in-law killed in Haiti: 'My heart is broken'
The daughter and son-in-law of Missouri state representative Ben Baker have been killed by a gang in Haiti, according to the lawmaker and officials in the country.
Baker said his daughter, Natalie Lloyd, and son-in-law, Davy Lloyd, were missionaries in Haiti, where residents are facing unprecedented levels of gang violence.
“They were attacked by gangs this evening and were both killed,” Baker, a Republican, wrote on Facebook early Friday morning.
“My heart is broken in a thousand pieces,” Baker said. “I’ve never felt this kind of pain.”
Police said the two Americans were attacked by three cars while they were on their way back from church in Lison. They were killed after the gangs looted their house, police said.
“Absolutely heartbreaking news,” Missouri Gov. Mike Parson wrote on X.
“Natalie and Davy were two young people sharing peace, comfort, and God’s word,” Parson said. “In light of this unimaginable, senseless tragedy, we remember the good they offered the world.”
Missouri
Who is Laurin Krings? Stats, more to know of Missouri softball’s star pitcher amid NCAA Tournament
Missouri softball is once again playing for a trip to the Women’s College World Series, and it has Laurin Krings to thank for it.
Krings, who has been a key part of the Tigers pitching rotation since her freshman season in 2021, dominated inside the circle in Sunday’s Columbia Regional elimination game against Omaha, as she struck out 15 hitters across nine scoreless innings in the Tigers 1-0 win over the Mavericks.
Her heroics Sunday inside Mizzou Softball Stadium not only helped advance the Tigers to the Super Regional round of the NCAA Tournament but capped off an impressive regional round: 364 pitches thrown in 25 innings across four games with a 0.56 ERA and 24 strikeouts.
REQUIRED READING: How Laurin Krings fought, scrapped and carried Missouri softball to NCAA Super Regional
“I don’t think I’ve witnessed … A more gutsy, gritty performance by not only an individual player in Laurin Krings, but this team,” Tigers coach Larissa Anderson told the Columbia Daily Tribune after the game. “I mean backs up against the wall, losing on Friday and having to win a doubleheader yesterday, a doubleheader today. Just — I’m so proud.”
Now Krings will look to continue her success this weekend against No. 10 Duke as Missouri looks to advance to Oklahoma City for the first time in 13 years. Here’s what you need to know about Krings as she takes the mound this weekend against Duke in the Columbia Super Regional of the NCAA Softball Tournament:
Who is Laurin Krings?
Laurin Krings is the ace of Missouri’s pitching staff, which ranked second amongst all other SEC teams this season with a 1.96 ERA.
The 5-foot-8 right-hander out of Loveland, Colorado has played a key part in the Tigers staff pitching since her freshman year, where she led Tigers pitchers with 122 strikeouts to go along with an 11-3 record and a 3.68 ERA over 29 appearances (13 starts) in 2021.
Krings followed up her freshman season by leading Missouri in wins (16) and strikeouts (185) in her sophomore season, which included her tossing the 12th perfect game in Mizzou history on 12 strikeouts against Bradley on March 6, 2022. She also threw a no-hitter against Bethune-Cookman earlier that season, the first of two no-hitters of her collegiate career.
This season Krings has led Mizzou back to the postseason, specifically the Super Regionals, for the third consecutive season with a team-high 16 wins. Her 2.33 ERA ranks third on the Tigers staff and 25th in the SEC. She earned a spot on the SEC All-Defensive team thanks to her 1.000 fielding percentage in SEC play (22 assists, three putouts, zero errors) this season.
The Tigers’ senior ace shoved in the Columbia Regional this past weekend, as she pitched in 25 innings across Mizzou’s five games. In the four games that Krings pitched in, she only gave up three runs (two earned) while striking out 24 hitters.
Laurin Krings stats
Krings is having her best season in a Tigers uniform this year, posting a career-best 2.33 ERA with 139 strikeouts and a 16-8 record across 171.0 innings pitched. Opposing hitters are hitting .239 against Krings, which ranks second-best in her career.
Here’s a full breakdown of Krings stats during her career at Missouri:
- Record: 56-32
- Appearances: 133
- ERA: 2.79
- Strikeouts: 591
- Walks: 168
- Complete games: 37
- Shutouts: 15
- Saves: Three
- Opponents average: .245
- Innings Pitched: 587 ⅓
Missouri
Family of Missouri man allegedly killed by Memphis murder suspect speaks
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – U.S. Marshals and Memphis Police captured 18-year-old Demario Wilson two days ago and charged him with murder in the death of a Missouri father.
Authorities say the robbery turned shooting all happened over a gaming system, but the significant other of the man he’s accused of killing tells Action News 5, a different story.
Wilson is charged two counts of first degree murder and other robbery charges for the killing Homero Pena, Jr.
Pena came down to Memphis with someone he thought was a friend.
His significant other tells Action News 5 she believes he was set up.
“I didn’t find out until later on that night what really happened to him,” said Kaitlyn Puga, Homero Pena’s significant other.
Kaitlyn Puga’s life hasn’t been the same since the father of her children was killed April 18th.
“He was really a good father,” said Puga. “The kids I guess they know that he’s gone now. That was everything to them.”
Kaitlyn and Homero Pena, Jr. had been dating since the fifth grade and share two daughters together with a third on the way.
Memphis Police say 18-year-old Demario Wilson shot and killed Pena at Summit Arbors Circle near Covington Pike.
Puga says Pena and a friend drove from Kennett, Missouri to Memphis to exchange this car with Harris and others, but she urged him not to go.
“I believe that he told the dudes from Memphis, that Hermero took the car and basically took him down there, basically was a set up.”
U.S. Marshalls say a witness claims the shootout began over a gaming system but Puga doesn’t believe that and an affidavit from Memphis Police paints a different picture.
According to the affidavit, Harris shot Pena five times.
Harris and two other people took car keys, a phone and cash from Pena after shooting him.
The affidavit also says the friend who was with Pena was also robbed of this phone and a Dodge Charger.
Police knew who Wilson was a witness identified him in a lineup, according to the affidavit.
He was arrested by the U.S. Marshall’s May 21st.
Wilson has an extensive criminal history. Police say he was arrested in November 2023 for a string of car thefts in East Memphis and running from police.
Court records show that case was dismissed by Judge Bill Anderson.
Wilson was then charged for several vehicle burglaries that same month. Court records show he was indicted in March 2024, an arrest warrant was issued.
Wilson was charged May 21st for shooting up an apartment with a handgun with an extended magazine, that allegedly happened on May 14, after police took him into custody for Homero Pena’s murder.
Memphis Police tell Action News 5 there is an arrest warrant out for a second suspect.
Meanwhile Kaitlyn and Homero’s are hoping for more arrests and information for this case as they continue to grieve.
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