Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Softball Opens 2014 Season in Louisiana
February 06, 2014 | Cowgirl Softball
Feb. 6, 2014
STILLWATER, Okla. – The Oklahoma State softball team opens the 2014 season when the Cowgirls travel to Baton Rouge, La., to play five games in three days in the Tiger Classic, hosted by LSU at Tiger Park.
The Cowgirls will open play Friday, Feb. 7, at 11 a.m. against Central Arkansas, followed by a 1 p.m. game against SIU-Edwardsville. On Saturday, OSU will take on Murray State at 3 p.m. and No. 17 LSU at 5 p.m. The Cowgirls will close out the tournament on Sunday when they face Minnesota at 11 a.m.
The Cowgirls return 10 players from last year's 30-26 team, including senior Tarah Ettinger, who was named 2013 first-team All-Midwest Region and All-Big 12 Second Team as a utility player. Senior Ari Morrison returns to her spot at second base, and was second on the team in batting average (.323) last season after missing a portion of the season due to a knee injury.
Also returning for the Cowgirls is senior pitcher Simone Freeman who looks to continue her success from the eight game fall non-conference slate. In four starts, Freeman pitched 25 innings and only allowed one earned run on 11 hits and struck out 44.
Sophomore Tiffany Mikkelson returns to third base this season. In the fall, she hit .500 in six games with three doubles and five runs batted in. Finishing out the infield is junior Gessenia DeLaCruz at shortstop. Freshman Miranda Cavin will round out the battery behind the plate. In the fall, Cavin hit .471 in five starts at catcher. In 17 at-bats, she racked up eight hits and four RBIs.
In the outfield, junior Shelby Davis will control center field. She hit .438 this fall, logging seven hits and two RBIs.
Head coach Rich Wieligman has a number of veterans he can call on. Senior Shannon Kaufman, as well as sophomores Shianne Hughes, Dre McKee and Erika Campbell, are all viable options for the outfield and off the bench. In five games in the fall, Hughes hit .471 in 17 at-bats, scoring six runs and stealing four bases.
Along with the returning members, the 2014 Cowgirl squad welcomes nine newcomers. Freshmen Meagan Lively, Peyton Walker and Whitney Whitehorn will all work to replace the spot vacated by Kat Espinosa in the circle. Also joining the Cowgirls are freshmen Madisyn Long and Madison Ellis, as well as transfers Danielle Riddle (Arkansas), Michaela Patton (Savannah State) and Darcy Taylor (Arizona).
All five games this weekend can be followed online through GameTracker by going to okstate.com, or on Twitter at @CowgirlSB.
