Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Softball to Compete in Kajikawa Classic
February 16, 2008 | Cowgirl Softball
Oklahoma State (3-3)
at the Kajikawa Classic
Tempe, Ariz.
Friday - Sunday, Feb. 15-17
OSU’s Tournament Schedule
Friday, February 15
vs. Western Kentucky • 5:30 p.m. CT
vs. Memphis • 8 p.m. CT
Saturday, February 16
vs. Washington • 11 a.m. CT
vs. Virginia • 1:30 p.m. CT
Sunday, February 17
vs. Temple • 10 a.m. CT
Quick Notes
• Oklahoma State travels to Tempe, Ariz., this weekend to compete in the Kajikawa Classic, hosted by Arizona State. Games will be played at the Farrington Softball Stadium and the Tempe Sports Complex.
• The Cowgirls are 40-29 all-time in the state of Arizona, including a 24-15 mark in the city of Tempe.
• It will be a day of firsts on Friday as the Cowgirls play Western Kentucky and Memphis. It will be OSU’s first meeting with both teams.
• Three other Big 12 schools — Nebraska, Texas A&M and Texas Tech — will also be playing in Tempe this weekend.
• It will be the second tournament of the spring season for the Cowgirls, who opened the 2008 season with a 3-3 mark last weekend at the Century Bank Classic.
• A total of six newcomers broke the starting lineup as OSU opened the season.
• Oklahoma State swept Centenary (10-4, 11-4) before being swept by Arkansas on day two (4-3 and 3-2 in nine innings). The Cowgirls split a pair of games with UAB on Sunday, falling to the Blazers 3-2 before picking up a 2-0 win in the series finale.
In the Circle
• OSU’s pitching staff threw one combined shutout last weekend, holding the UAB Blazers scoreless in the final game.
• The staff threw 46 strikeouts in 43-2/3 innings, an average of 7.37 strikeouts per game.
• However, they also allowed 36 bases on balls, an average of 5.77 walks per game.
• The trio of pitchers buckled down with runners on base, allowing a .148 average with runners on.
At the Plate
• Oklahoma State is batting .307 as a team, including 12 doubles and eight home runs in six games.
• As a squad, the Cowgirls have a .508 slugging percentage, nearly 120 points higher than a year ago.
• On the basepaths, OSU has been successful on 8-of-10 stolen base attempts.
Kaye in the Record Books
• Cowgirl senior Kim Kaye’s name is scattered throughout the career record book at Oklahoma State.
• With three home runs during the opening weekend, she moved from ninth to seventh on the school record book, surpassing Kim Ward (14 home runs) and Michele Smith (15). Kaye needs six bombs to tie Stephanie Nicholson for sixth place.
• She ranks 10th on the career doubles list with 23. Four more would move her into the school top five.
• Kaye’s 69 runs batted in following last weekend rank her 10th in school history. She needs just four to move past Pam Harper for ninth place and seven to move past Stephenie Little and into eighth place.
• Her 173 total bases ranks 20th. Four more will move her past K.K. McCoy and into 19th place.
• Kaye’s .506 slugging percentage ranks eighth in school history.
Coach Rich Wieligman
• Coach Rich Wieligman is entering his second season as the head coach of the Cowgirls. He is just the fifth coach in the history of the program.
• He has compiled a 28-36 record at Oklahoma State.
• Coach Wieligman is no stranger to the Big 12 Conference. He has spent time at Baylor, Texas A&M and Texas Tech as an assistant coach.
History of Cowgirl Softball
• Oklahoma State has a rich tradition in the sport of softball. The Cowgirls have made six trips to the Women’s College World Series and have never finished lower than fourth in any of those six appearances.
• In the old Big Eight Conference, Oklahoma State won nine league titles.
• A list of former Cowgirls includes gold-medal winner Michele Smith (USA Olympic Team), Olympian Melanie Roche (Australian Olympic Team), Olympian Lauren Bay (Canadian Olympic Team), Jaime Foutch (WPF All-Star) and Shanel Scott (NPF All-Star).
• Oklahoma State’s all-time record in the sport of softball is 1,153-564-3 (.671), including a 615-312 (.663) record on neutral fields.
OSU Picked Eighth in Preseason Big 12 Poll
• In a vote of the league coaches, Oklahoma State garnered 26 points, good for eighth place in the preseason poll.
• The Cowgirls tied for ninth in last year’s league race, finishing with a 3-15 conference record.
• Texas A&M was projected to win the league title for a third-consecutive season, garnering seven first-place votes.
• Oklahoma was second, receiving one first-place vote. Baylor finished third with two first-place votes.
• Missouri, Texas, Nebraska and Texas Tech were all selected ahead of Oklahoma State.
• The Cowgirls were followed by Kansas and Iowa State.
