Oklahoma State University Athletics
Oklahoma State to Visit Tulsa
March 21, 2007 | Cowgirl Softball
Oklahoma State's softball team is making the trek down the Cimarron Turnpike to play instate rival Tulsa at the Hardesty Sports Complex on the University of Tulsa campus. This is OSU's final non-conference game before the start of Big 12 play. Oklahoma State is 20-8 all-time against the Golden Hurricane, but TU won the only meeting last year, 3-2, as part of the Border Wars in Tulsa. Tulsa is 16-14 on the season, but has lost four straight after being swept by conference rival Houston. TU has scored just three runs in those four games. That is coming after the Golden Hurricane won eight-in-a-row, including four wins over Big 12 opponents. The Golden Hurricane are led by Sara Dyer on offense with a .407 average, four home runs and 30 RBIs. TU has used three pitchers regularly as Julie Fennell leads the team with a 2.15 ERA, while Jackie Lawrence leads the team in wins. Lawrence handed fifth-ranked Oklahoma its first loss of the season as she tossed a no-hitter against the powerful Sooner offense. OSU is 19-17 on the season after splitting a pair of games with Drake. The Cowgirls had their four-game winning streak snapped, and will loook to begin another streak against their instate rival. What to Watch For
Courtney Totte needs just one RBI to tie Jamie Foutch for the single season school record with 51. Shanel Scott set the single season steal record, and she now holds every stolen base record except for the single game record, which she has tied three times this season with three steals.
Totte Having Dream Season
Senior Courtney Totte is having a dream season as she has set, or is about to set career highs in just about every statistical category. She is hitting a career best .443 with highs in doubles (14), home runs (9), RBIs (50), total bases (90), slugging percentage (.849) and on base percentage (.471). She has needed just 36 games to set these marks, and still has 23 games left on the schedule, not counting any postseason games.
Totte Streaking
Courtney Totte is currently in the midst of an 11-game hitting streak dating back to a game against North Carolina, which she went 3-for-3 against, at the Adidas Invitational back on Mar. 8. She is hitting a robust .579 (22-for-38) over the last 11 games with four home runs and 22 RBIs. She has also connected on eight doubles and has slugged at a 1.105 clip over that span. She has had at least two hits in seven of those games, including at least two hits in each of her last five games. She also owns a streak with an RBI in each of the last five games, including a five-RBI game and a six-RBI game. Over the last five games she is hitting .765 (13-for-17) with 17 RBIs.
Cowgirls set marks against Drake
A pair of Cowgirls set single game records in the first game of a double header against Drake. Leadoff hitter Shanel Scott reached base all five times she came to the plate and came around to score each time, to set the single game record in runs scored. The previous high of four happened twice in the same game against Baylor back in 2000. Courtney Totte recorded an RBI in each of her first three at bats, before clearing the bases in the sixth inning with a three-run double to give her six RBIs for the contest. Six RBIs in a game had been done three times previously, the last time was by Stephanie Nicholson in 2003.
Scott Sets Steals Mark
Shanel Scott went into the double header with Drake needing just two steals to set the single season stolen base record. It did not take her long as she reached base her first two plate appearances and promptly swiped second base each time. She stole three bags in the first game of the double header, the third time this season she has had as many as three steals in a game, and she currently leads the Big 12 with 31 steals on the season.
Totte Clearing the Bases
Senior Courtney Totte has been driving in runs at a record pace this season. With 50 RBIs she has already set her career high and is just one ribbie shy of tying the single season school record held by Jamie Foutch. She has had 14 games this season where she has driven in more than one run. In addition, Totte is also on pace to set the single season record in home runs. She already set her career high with nine, which ranks fifth all-time at OSU for a single season. She is slugging a Ruthian .849 on the season.
Cowgirls Complete Rugged Schedule
First year head coach Rich Wieligman did a double take when he first looked at the 2007 schedule after taking the job. He had just finished watching seven future opponents compete in the 2006 Women's College World Series. The Cowgirls opened the season at the CenturyTel Classic and suffered a pair of losses to Alabama. They then traveled to Las Vegas where they defeated Pac-10 power UCLA. At the Palm Springs Classic, OSU lost to Tennessee and Arizona State, who were at the time ranked one and two in the country, respectively. The Cowgirls just completed the tough part of the non-conference schedule after losing to Oregon State and Northwestern. The only WCWS teams that OSU has not played are Texas and Arizona, and the Cowgirls will see the Longhorns once conference play begins. OSU is 1-6 against 2006 WCWS teams, and 9-9 against teams that played in an NCAA regional last season.
