Oklahoma State University Athletics
Softball Set for First Round of Bedlam
April 05, 2005 | Cowgirl Softball
Oklahoma State closes out a five-game road swing with the first installment of Bedlam in Norman on Wednesday at 7 p.m. The game will be televised by the Sooner Sports Network and available in select markets across the state. Talent for the game will be Brian Brinkley on color and Kenny Mossman on play-by-play.
Oklahoma swept the series in 2004, winning 2-1 in Stillwater and 5-1 in Norman. The Cowgirls lead the all-time series 68-55 but the Sooners have won 18 of the last 19. The Cowgirls lone win in that span was a 4-0 decision in 2003 at Cowgirl Stadium. OSU's last win in Norman was at the NCAA Regional hosted by Oklahoma in 1997.
The Cowgirls split their weekend series at 10th-ranked Baylor, defeating the Bears 3-0 in eight innings in the first contest. Freshman Marjorie Johnson held Baylor to one hit and sophomore Courtney Totte hit a bases clearing double to lift OSU to victory. Baylor won the series finale 6-2.
OU swept Missouri last weekend, winning 8-3 and 6-4 in Columbia. Kami Keiter earned the decision in both contests, tossing a complete game in the first contest and earning the win in relief on Sunday. The Sooners used six-run innings in both games to earn the win.
SCOUTING OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma is 36-6 on the year and 4-0 in conference play following series sweeps of Iowa State and Missouri. Earlier this year OU won 29 straight before the streak was snapped by then-No. 1 Arizona at the Kia Classic in Fullerton, Calif. Leadoff hitter Kristin Vesely leads the Sooners with a .522 batting average and 23 stolen bases. Three different Sooners, Heather Scaglione, Jessica Leslie and Jamie Fox have six home runs. Leslie also leads the league with 17 doubles and 45 RBI. Three-time All-Big 12 pitcher Kami Keiter leads the Sooners in the circle. Keiter is 19-3 on the year with a 1.06 ERA in 126 innings of work.
BEDLAM RECAP
Home runs were the trend the last time the Cowgirls and Sooners met in Norman as the teams combined for three in Oklahoma's 5-1 win in front of a record-setting crowd of 1,623 fans at the OU Softball Complex. The Cowgirls jumped out to an early lead but fell behind and were plagued by errors. The first three runs and five of the six runs scored in the contest came via the long ball. The Cowgirls struck first with a solo shot from Stephanie Nicholson in the top of the second, her third of the year. Heather Scaglione didn't give the Cowgirls much time to enjoy the lead, hitting a two-run bomb in the third to plate the go-ahead run. The Sooners extended their lead with an unearned run in the fourth thanks to smart base running from pinch runner Jade Prather. Prather stole third and made it home safely on an OSU error. Oklahoma went yard again in the sixth with a two-run shot from Jamie Fox in the sixth to account for final score. Jessica Hoppock went the distance in the circle for the Cowgirls, giving up five runs on seven hits and five strikeouts.
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 122-77 record as a head coach into the Oklahoma 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.
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, six of the Cowgirls opponents are ranked in the top 10. In addition, six Big 12 schools, Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Baylor, Missouri and Nebraska, are ranked.
LOOKING AHEAD
Oklahoma State returns to the friendly confines of Cowgirl Stadium for the first time in 16 days to host Kansas this weekend. The Cowgirls and Jayhawks take the field at 2 p.m. on Saturday and wrap up the series 1 p.m. on Sunday. Conference action continues with a midweek doubleheader at Texas A&M on Wednesday, April 13.
COWGIRL SOFTBALL ON THE AIR
Oklahoma State's home conference games, as well as the OU game in Norman, the Border War in Fayetteville, Ark., and all postseason contests will be broadcast live on Stillwater Radio. Bill VanNess will provide the play-by-play for the seventh 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 2005 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 select away games.
