Oklahoma State University Athletics
Softball Hosts Iowa State
April 09, 2004 | Cowgirl Softball
Oklahoma State will be looking to pick up its first conference win of the season this weekend when it hosts Iowa State for a two-game series. The Cowgirls and Cyclones take the field at 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Every game is important for the Cowgirls as they try to work their way out of the bottom of the league standings. OSU is in a two-way tie with Texas for ninth in the Big 12. Iowa State is just one game better, coming in with a 1-4 record in league action.
The Cowgirls hold a commanding 41-12 lead in the all-time series with Iowa State and have won five straight. The series was competitive through the late eighties but the Cyclones have won just three games against the Cowgirls in the last 15 years.
HEAD COACH MARGARET REBENAR
Margaret Rebenar is in her 25th season season as a softball coach at Oklahoma State and third as a head coach. Rebenar joined the Cowgirl softball program in 1980 after serving as a pitching coach at UCLA for one season. After filling the assistant coach role for 22 seasons, Rebenar was named the head coach in 2001. Rebenar led the 2003 Cowgirls to a second-place finish in the Big 12 regular season race and their first NCAA Regional appearance in five years. Under her guidance, 23 players have earned All-American status 29 times, including Olympians Michele Smith, Melanie Roche and Lauren Bay. Rebenar brings a 88-59 record as a head coach into the Iowa State series.
SCOUTING IOWA STATE
Iowa State is 9-20 on the year and has been shut out in its last four contests. The Cyclones lone Big 12 win came in the second game at Texas Tech, a 7-4 decision. Iowa State is led by Julia Lindsey and Misty Kimura. Lindsey paces the Cyclones with a .308 batting average and six stolen bases. Kimura comes in second with a .220 average and 10 RBI. Iowa State has gone yard 10 times this season but eight of those come from Kimura and Ashley Killeen with four each. Alyssa Ransom is the Cyclones ace, throwing 114.1 innings en route to a 2.51 ERA and 7-11 record. Katie Reichling and Kristen Karanzias fill the reserve roles. Reichling is 0-5 on the year with a 2.76 ERA in 38.0 innings. Karanzias has thrown 34.0 innings for a 6.38 ERA and 2-4 start.
Series snapshot
longest winning streak: 15 by OSU, snapped in 1994
largest margin: OSU won 16-7 in 1996; ISU won 3-0 in 1986
1-run games: OSU leads 12-3
2-run games: OSU leads 5-3
5+run games: OSU leads 5-0
LOOKING AHEAD
Oklahoma State hits the road for four games next week. The Cowgirls visit Texas Tech for a doubleheader on Wednesday and travel to Kansas for a two-game series on Saturday and Sunday.
COWGIRL SOFTBALL ON THE AIR
Oklahoma State's home conference games, as well as the OU game in Norman, the TU game in Tulsa and all postseason contests will be broadcast live on Stillwater Radio. Bill VanNess will provide the play-by-play for the sixth consecutive season. Any game starting prior to 5 p.m. will air on KSPI 780 AM. Any game starting at 5 p.m. or later will be broadcast on KGFY 105.5 FM.
COWGIRL SOFTBALL ON THE WEB
For the latest information on 2004 Cowgirl Softball visit the official web site of Oklahoma State Athletics at www.okstate.com. Live stats will be available online for all home events and selected events will be available via a live video feed as part of the MVP package.
