By Jim Henry

jhenry@joplinglobe.com

WEBB CITY, Mo. — On a school trip to the University of Missouri four years ago, it was love at first sight for Nicole Hudson.

“I took a trip in eighth grade, and I’ve just always loved the campus,” she said. “Back in junior high you don’t really know where you want to go, but I always said I wanted to go to Mizzou.”

Hudson, a stalwart on Webb City’s softball teams that reached the state tournament semifinals in three of the last four years, signed a letter of intent with the Tigers on Wednesday afternoon.

“I think it’s a good softball program,” Hudson said. “Basically everything about it, I kind of knew from the beginning. I got a few letters from different places, but Mizzou was the only place I took a visit. I just knew.”

The Tigers, 87-40 the last two years under head coach Ehren Earleywine, finished 47-17 last season, matching the school’s single-season victory record. The Tigers placed third in the Big 12 Conference regular season behind Texas A&M, the eventual College World Series runner-up, and Oklahoma. Mizzou won a regional tournament for the first time in 14 years, then lost to No. 3 Alabama in the super regional.

Hudson’s prep career numbers are outstanding both in the pitching circle — 71-8 record and 758 strikeouts — and at the plate — .593 average with 40 home runs, 185 runs batted in and 141 runs scored. The homers and RBI are state records.

So, is Hudson a better hitter or pitcher?

“I’ll take both,” Cardinals coach Walter Resa said with a grin. “She came in as a freshman as a thrower and developed into a pitcher and learned what type of pitch to throw. Her freshman year she just overpowered you.

“She was always a hitter.”

The Tigers plan to use Hudson’s hitting, not her pitching.

“Off and on, it’s been outfield, third base, just different things,” Hudson said. “I think I can develop a lot more defensively because I’ve been pitching so much. They’re not looking for me to be a pitcher. I think they are going to develop me into whatever they need.”

Naturally Hudson is going to miss pitching.

“I’ve been doing it all my life,” she said. “So it’s definitely going to be a big adjustment.”