Oklahoma State University Athletics
Bedlam Softball Hits Cowgirl Stadium
April 26, 2005 | Cowgirl Softball
Oklahoma State returns to Cowgirl Stadium to close out the regular season with a three-game homestand. The week begins when the Cowgirls host sixth-ranked Oklahoma at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. Action continues with third-ranked Texas visiting this weekend.
OSU is currently in fifth place in the Big 12 standings, mere percentage points ahead of Missouri and Nebraska. The Cowgirls must finish strong in order to avoid the play-in game at the Big 12 Tournament that pits the bottom four seeds against each other in a single elimination game before advancing to double elimination play. Oklahoma is currently in third place. One week ago the Sooners were fighting for the regular season title but now OU is 2-1/2 games behind first-place Texas A&M.
Oklahoma State leads the series 68-56 but the Sooners have won 19 of the last 20. OSU's lone win in that span was a 4-0 shutout in 2003 at Cowgirl Stadium. Oklahoma has owned the series since the Big 12 began in 1996, posting a 25-6 mark in that span.
The Cowgirls have won four of their last five outings and outscored their opponents 22-10 in that span. OSU lost the first game in Nebraska last week, falling 2-1 after allowing both runs to come home on bases loaded walks. The Cowgirls stepped up in game two and earned the 2-0 win behind a no-hitter from freshman Marjorie Johnson.
ABOUT OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma (42-12 overall, 10-5 Big 12) enters the second round of Bedlam in the midst of a four-game losing streak, having lost five of their last six. The Sooners were swept by Kansas last weekend, falling 5-4 in nine innings on Saturday and closing out the weekend with a 4-1 setback on Sunday.
The Sooners are second in the league with a .335 batting average led by Kristen Vesely with a .467 average. Oklahoma also leads the conference with 103 doubles, paced by Jessica Leslie (20), Kristin Vesely (17) and Heather Scaglione (15). Scaglione is the complete power-hitter, also connecting for two triples, 11 home runs and a team-high .725 slugging percentage.
Kami Keiter leads the Sooner pitching staff with a 1.34 ERA and 24-5 record in 172.2 innings. In conference play, Keiter has a 2.13 ERA and has appeared in 12 of OU's 15 games. Stacy Braddock is the No. 2 pitcher in Big 12 play, tossing 23.1 innings for a 1-3 record and 3.90 ERA.
BEDLAM FLASHBACK ... APRIL 5, 2005
The first round of Bedlam softball was close for five innings but quickly got out of hand as sixth-ranked Oklahoma scored seven runs in the sixth to earn a 9-0 win in front of 1,217 fans at the OU Softball Complex on Wednesday. Oklahoma State falls to 27-12 overall and 2-3 in Big 12 play while Oklahoma improves to 37-6 overall and 5-0 in league games.
Oklahoma State had its chances to score early but couldn't capitalize and the Sooners finally got their offense going late in the game. The first half of the game was all about missed opportunities for the Cowgirls.
OSU threatened early, loading the bases with a leadoff single and a pair of walks in the first inning but OU's Kami Keiter worked her way out of the inning. OSU kept the pressure coming, getting two runners on in both the third and fourth innings but left both empty-handed and never threatened again.
In the first Bedlam game of her career, Marjorie Johnson walked the first two Sooners she faced but quickly got in a rhythm, retiring the next 13 batters and throwing a no-hitter through 4.2 innings.
The feat of keeping the Sooners off the bases ended with back-to-back walks by Kami Keiter and Nicole Denes. The pair then stole second and third to move into scoring position with one out. OU Tayl'r Hollis took advantage of the free passes, coming through with a fielder's choice to plate the first run of the game. A rundown between second and third followed with Johnson making the tag on Amber Spaulding for the second out of the frame.
Johnson's no-hitter disappeared in the next-at bat with Norrelle Dickson beating a throw to first, allowing Hollis to score and give the Sooners a 2-0 lead. Jessica Hoppock relieved Johnson in the sixth and things quickly got out of hand as the Sooners touched the sophomore for seven runs off four hits. The game ended with two outs when Jessica Leslie hit a three-run walk off home run to left field.
Johnson took the loss, falling to 9-3 on the year. The freshman allowed two runs off one hit, four walks and four strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Keiter earned the win for OU and improved to 8-1 all-time against the Cowgirls, scattering three hits, walking three and striking out one in the complete game shutout.
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 127-83 record as a head coach into Wednesday's Bedlam contest.
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.
LOOKING AHEAD
Oklahoma State closes out the regular season this weekend, hosting Texas for a two-game set. The series kicks off at 2 p.m. on Saturday and concludes at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Senior day festivities will take place prior to Sunday's contest. The Big 12 Tournament will be held May 11-14 at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. The Cowgirls will not know their seed or opponent until the conference season concludes on May 8.
IN THE POLLS
Oklahoma State will face nine opponents ranked in the NFCA preseason Top 25, including three of the top four. In the most recently released poll, 10 of the Cowgirls opponents are ranked in the top 10. In addition, five Big 12 schools, Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Baylor and Missouri are ranked.
BIG 12 TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
The 10th annual Big 12 Tournament will be held May 11-14 at Don E. Porter ASA Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City. Tickets can be purchased by contacting the Oklahoma City All Sports Association at (405) 236-5000 or by downloading the ticket application on the Big 12 web site, www.big12sports.com. All-session general admission tickets are $50. Single session tickets for games 1-10 (Wed-Thu.) are $8 for adults and $5 for senior citizen and children 12 and under. Tickets for sessions 11-17 (Fri.-Sat.) are $10 for adults and $7 for senior citizens and children 12 and under.
