Oklahoma State University Athletics
OSU Softball Hosts Iowa, Central Arkansas
March 16, 2015 | Cowgirl Softball
March 16, 2015
STILLWATER, Okla. - The Oklahoma State softball team will welcome Iowa and Central Arkansas on Tuesday, as the Cowgirls host a doubleheader at Cowgirl Stadium, set to begin at 2 p.m. OSU's Tuesday slate was set to begin at 4 p.m., but was moved up due to impending weather. Live stats for both games can be found at okstate.com or on Twitter at @CowgirlSB.
General admission tickets for all Cowgirl softball home games are $5, and can be purchased by phone at (877) 255-4678, at the OSU Athletic Ticket office on the NE corner of Gallagher-Iba Arena or at Cowgirl Stadium one hour prior to first pitch on game days.
Game Notes
Last Time Out
Last weekend, the Cowgirls swept a three-game series with Arkansas Pine Pluff, outscoring the Golden Lions, 29-3, over the course of the weekend. Brandi Needham's six-inning shutout helped Oklahoma State breeze through the opener in dominating fashion, as the Cowgirls scored in each inning of the 8-0 victory. Her 10 strikeouts marked a new season-high for the sophomore, surpassing her previous game-high of four, and pushed her team-leading wins mark to six.
After allowing UAPB to take a 3-1 lead in the nightcap, Oklahoma State responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-3 lead. After Shippy and Hughes registered back-to-back one-out singles, Tiffany Mikkelson launched a tape-measure blast into left, giving the junior her sixth home run of the season while helping the Cowgirls retake the lead. OSU eventually took the matchup, 7-3.
In Sunday's finale, Jessi Haffner and Peyton Walker threw a combined no-hitter, highlighting a 13-0 run-rule victory. Haffner tossed four hitless innings before Walker came on the fifth, striking out two and forcing the game-clinching ground out. Mikkelson stayed hot with a grand slam, and Shelby Davis added two hits, including a three-RBI triple.
Scouting the Opponent
Team Information
Iowa Hawkeyes (8-18, 0-0)
Big Ten Conference
2014 Record: 16-30
Starters Returning/Lost: 7/2
Newcomers: 8
Season Leaders
BA - Megan Blank - .387
Hits - Megan Blank - 29
HR - Blank/Gyerman - 2
Wins - Shayla Starkenburg - 6
ERA - Shayla Starkenburg - 4.19
Team Information
Central Arkansas Bears (16-6, 4-0)
Southland Conference
2014 Record: 25-34
Starters Returning/Lost: N/A
Newcomers: 4
Season Leaders
BA - Sarah Bigej - .442
Hits - Sam Forrest - 27
HR - Forrest/Taylor - 5
Wins - Kaylee Studioso -13
ERA - Kaylee Studioso - 2.07
Speed Kills
Cowgirl senior Shelby Davis has been an invaluable asset on the basepaths throughout the first three years of her career. After swiping 23 bags in her first two seasons, Davis stole 41 bases in 2014, a season-total that stands at No. 2 on OSU's all-time list. Going into 2014, her 64 career stolen bases ranked third in school history, while also giving her the chance to ascend the list in 2015.
During the Cowgirls' three-game set against UAPB last weekend, Davis stole a perfect four bases on four attempts, bringing her season total to 26. She now needs 26 stolen bases this season to become the all-time leader at OSU, as outlined in the following list:
All-Time Career Stolen Bases
1. 115 Mariah Gearhart (2008-11)
2. 108 Shanel Scott (2004-07)
3. 90 Shelby Davis (2012-pres.)
4. 47 Cyndi Smith (1995-96)
5. 41 Ari Morrison (2011-14)
Instant Impact
Four Cowgirl freshmen made their collegiate debuts in the team's season opener against Arizona, including Vanessa Shippy, Maddi Holcomb and Jessi Haffner. Shippy, a native of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, recorded her first-career hit with a third-inning double, while Holcomb knocked in her first-career RBI on a groundout in the fifth, which scored pinch runner Randee O'Donnell, also a freshman.
The highlight of the night, however, came in the top of the second, when freshman leftfielder Mallory Collins stepped to the plate for the first time in a Cowgirl uniform. Five pitches later, Collins sent a 2-2 pitch from Arizona starter Nancy Bowling over the leftfield fence, giving her a home run in her first collegiate at-bat. The Sand Springs, Okla., native went on to record base-hits in each of the next two games, putting her total bases tally at six after the opening weekend.
Channel Surfing
On Saturday, May 9, Oklahoma State will be featured in the national spotlight, as the Cowgirls' matchup against Oklahoma will televised live on ESPN2. The Bedlam battle, set to begin at 2 p.m. CT, will be hosted by the Sooners, and will be available for fans to watch on the following cable providers: Suddenlink (31/231 HD), AT&T U-Verse (606/1606 HD), DirecTV (206/) and Dish Network (141).
