Oklahoma State University Athletics
Softball Prepares For Final West Coast Tournament
February 24, 2005 | Cowgirl Softball
HEAD COACH MARGARET REBENAR
Margaret Rebenar is in her 26th season season as a softball coach at Oklahoma State and fourth 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 103-70 record as a head coach into the tournament. Hitting the century mark was an exciting game for Rebenar as the Cowgirls staged a come-from-behind victory at UNLV, scoring four runs in the top of the seventh to earn a 4-1 win.
THE PALM SPRINGS FIELD
Utah
The Utes are 5-5 on the season, having lost five of their last six games. Bryanne Durrence leads the team with a .417 batting average, 10 doubles and four stolen bases. Ivette Hernandez has some power to her swing as well, connecting for five home runs and sending 12 runners home. Brianna Gourdin and Lindsie Nielsen have split time in the circle. Gourdin is 2-2 on the year with a 1.40 ERA in 25 innings. Neilsen is 3-2, tossing 29 innings en route to a 3.14 ERA. The Cowgirls lead the all-time series with Utah 11-5 after winning the last meeting 12-1 at the UTA Classic in 2002.
UNLV
UNLV is 8-5 on the year and has won three of its last four. Marissa Nichols leads the Rebels with a .479 batting average, four doubles and four triples. She is also a perfect 7-for-7 on stolen base attempts. Nichols had three steals in the earlier meeting with OSU. Jacque Kerrigan leads the pitching staff with a 1.52 ERA and 7-4 record in 64.2 innings. Kerrigan has tossed seven complete games including two shutouts. OSU leads series 8-2, coming away with a 3-2 win earlier this year at UNLV. The Cowgirls scored four runs in the top of the seventh to earn a 4-1 win.
UCLA
The Bruins are 8-2 on the year with losses coming against Cal State Fullerton and Syracuse. UCLA is hitting .315 as a team, led by Krista Colburn with a .517 average. Jodie Legaspi leads the home run battle, sending four yard for a team-leading nine RBI. Anjelica Selden is a perfect 5-0 in the circle with a 0.17 ERA. She has also tossed four shutouts and averages 13.8 Ks per game. The Bruins lead the all-time series 9-3, but it has been eight years since the last meeting. UCLA won 6-2 at the San Diego State Softball Tournament in 1997.
BYU
The Cougars are 7-0 on the season but have played just one game since facing off with the Cowgirls on February 12. BYU is averaging 3.0 home runs per game and five different Cougars have at least three. Lauren Watson-Perry leads the race with five. Summer Tobias leads the pitching staff with a 0.86 ERA and 3-0 record in 16.1 innings. BYU leads the series 2-1 after defeating the Cowgirls 12-2 two weeks ago. The Cowgirls never got their bats going and BYU exploded for three home runs and four doubles.
Washington
The Huskies are 7-3 on the year and 2-1 against ranked opponents, registering wins against Oregon and Illinois and while losing to Tennessee. Kristen Rivera is hitting .500 with five home runs to lead the team. UW is averaging nearly 2.0 stolen bases per game, led by Ashley Charters with six and Dominique Lastrapes with four. Ashley Boek and Caitlin Noble have shared time in the circle, averaging 11.6 Ks per game. Boek is 5-1 on the year with a 1.10 ERA and three shutouts. Noble is 2-2 on the year with a 2.59 ERA and two shutouts. The Huskies lead series 10-2 and have won the last three meetings including a 3-2 decision at the Chevron Paradise Classic in 2003.
LOOKING AHEAD
Oklahoma State returns to Oklahoma, but not Stillwater, for its next five games. The Cowgirls will be participating in the Tulsa Invitational Friday, March 4-Sunday, March 6. OSU's next action at Cowgirl Stadium will be a 3 p.m. doubleheader with UMKC on Tuesday, March 8.
