Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Softball: 2015 Season Review
June 08, 2015 | Cowgirl Softball
STILLWATER, Okla. – In terms of historical success, the 2015 Oklahoma State Softball squad fell short of the expectations instilled within the program, finishing 21-31 overall and 3-13 in conference play. The Cowgirls' 21 victories were the team's fewest since 2006 and marked the sixth-lowest season total in school history.
However, several bright spots emerged in 2015, including Oklahoma State's phenomenal freshman class. All five of the Cowgirl youngsters played in at least 30 games, giving the incoming sophomore group a wealth of experience. As a whole, the team will return 15 members of last season's squad, with the only losses being seniors Shelby Davis and Gessenia DeLaCruz and sophomore Meagan Lively.
Rookie Success
Coming into the 2015 campaign, each of the Cowgirls' five freshman were tasked with making enough of an impact to earn playing time and experience. After showing signs of success in the fall, four Cowgirl freshmen saw the field in the team's season-opener at 12th-ranked Arizona, making it evident that each of the budding talents would make contributions throughout the remainder of the season.
The highlight of the night 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.
In total, each of Oklahoma State's five freshmen made appearances in at least 35 games. The following list shows a breakdown of each of the Cowgirls' first season of collegiate play:
- Vanessa Shippy (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
- Named to the 2015 All-Big 12 Freshman Team
- Finished the season with a .306 mark at the plate, complete with 12 doubles (Top 10 in Big 12)
- Compiled a .432 OBP, giving her the third-highest all-time mark for an OSU freshman
- Tied for third on the team with 16 stolen bases
- Randee O'Donnell (Tahlequah, Okla.)
- Named to the 2015 All-Big 12 Freshman Team
- Starred in conference play, posting a .333 average in 16 conference contests
- Finished with 15 runs scored, two home runs, 8 RBIs and 15 walks
- Jessi Haffner (Wichita, Kan.)
- Joined the rotation after beginning the season as the starting first baseman
- Started out with a 4-0 record in the circle before finishing with six wins and five losses
- Tossed a complete-game shutout against North Texas on April 29
- Maddi Holcomb (North Richland Hills, Texas)
- Reached base in more than 30 percent of her trips to the plate
- Swiped five bags in six attempts
- Posted multi-hit efforts against Wichita State and Arkansas Pine-Bluff
- Mallory Collins (Sand Springs, Okla.)
- Hit .273 in 36 games, making 33 starts along the way
- Showed power at the plate, posting 3 HR, 22 RBIs and a .414 slugging percentage
- Recorded only two errors in the outfield while also recording three assists
The End of an Era
In Oklahoma State's season finale against Texas, senior Shelby Davis played her final game in an OSU uniform. The Goddard, Kan., native went out with a bang, using a 2-3 performance to end her final collegiate season with a blistering .440 batting average. That marks not only stands as the second-highest season total in school history, but also led Davis to the 2015 Big 12 batting title.
Her success was defined by consistency, as she compiled 26 multiple-hit games over the course of the season, including four three-hit efforts and one four-hit performance. She racked up two separate nine-game hitting streaks, and reached base in 17-consecutive games between Feb. 27 and March 21. In conference play, Davis recorded at least one base-hit in 14 of 16 contests, and delivered two or more base-hits on nine different occasions.
Davis' offensive abilities were not only seen at the plate, but also on the base paths, as evidenced by her 109 career stolen bases, a mark that stands at No. 2 all-time at OSU. In 2015, she recorded a career-high 45 stolen bases and swiped two or more bags in nine different contests. In a game against Evansville on Feb. 14, Davis stole four bases, setting a new single-game school record.
Davis' stellar 2015 campaign helped her stamp her name on several different pages and categories of the Oklahoma State record books. The following bullets show her career marks and where they stand amongst OSU's all-time greats:
- .340 Career Batting Average – No. 8
- .396 Career On-Base Percentage – No. 12
- 204 Games Played – No. 15
- 220 Career Hits – No. 5
- 106 Career Runs Scored – No. 9
- 109 Career Stolen Bases – No. 2
A Look Ahead
After registering successful campaigns in 2013 and 2014, junior Tiffany Mikkelson broke out with a phenomenal 2015 season. One of only two Cowgirls to start in all 52 games, Mikkelson posting top-ten conference marks in home runs, RBI, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Her 13 home runs marked the second-highest single-season total in school history, and leave her only eight short of the career record at Oklahoma State.
Shianne Hughes, also a junior, delivered a solid season at the plate, hitting .280 in 49 starts. Hughes led the Big 12 with .23 sacrifice hits per game, and stole 17 bases in 18 attempts.
Records Fall
As a team, the 2015 Cowgirl softball used 107 stolen bases to average 2.06 swiped bags per game, which both stands as all-time single-season records at OSU. Several members of the team used individual performances to place their names in the record books as well.
- Team Records
Single Season
- .377 on-base percentage (2nd all-time)
- 241 runs (9th all-time)
- 4.00 RBIs per game (tied for 5th all-time)
- 30 home runs (tied for 8th all-time)
- 198 walks (2nd all-time)
- 3.81 walks per game (new school record)
- 107 stolen bases (new school record)
- 2.06 stolen bases per game (new school record)
- Individual Records
Single Game
- Shelby Davis tallied four hits against Wichita State (tied for 2nd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson (vs. Iowa St.) and Vanessa Shippy (vs. IPFW) posted four runs scored (tied for 2nd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson recorded six RBIs against Evansville (3rd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson hit two home runs on two different occasions (vs. North Texas and vs. Iowa St.) (ties school record)
- Tiffany Mikkelson drew five walks against Iowa State (new school record)
- Shelby Davis stole four bases against Evansville (new school record)
Single Season
- Shelby Davis accumulated a .440 batting average (2nd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson posted a .722 slugging percentage (2nd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson registered a .506 on-base percentage (2nd all-time), while Shelby Davis tallied a mark of .484 in the same category (7th all-time)
- Shelby Davis compiled 70 base-hits (tied for 7th all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson posted 41 runs scored (tied for 9th all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson recorded 46 RBIs (tied for 6th all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson blasted 15 home runs (tied for 3rd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson racked up 104 total bases (9th all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson drew 39 walks (2nd all-time)
- Michaela Patton was hit by a pitch nine different times (8th all-time)
- Shelby Davis tallied five sacrifice flies (tied for 2nd all-time)
- Shelby Davis stole 45 bases (2nd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson had 141 assists at third base (2nd all-time)
However, several bright spots emerged in 2015, including Oklahoma State's phenomenal freshman class. All five of the Cowgirl youngsters played in at least 30 games, giving the incoming sophomore group a wealth of experience. As a whole, the team will return 15 members of last season's squad, with the only losses being seniors Shelby Davis and Gessenia DeLaCruz and sophomore Meagan Lively.
Rookie Success
Coming into the 2015 campaign, each of the Cowgirls' five freshman were tasked with making enough of an impact to earn playing time and experience. After showing signs of success in the fall, four Cowgirl freshmen saw the field in the team's season-opener at 12th-ranked Arizona, making it evident that each of the budding talents would make contributions throughout the remainder of the season.
The highlight of the night 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.
In total, each of Oklahoma State's five freshmen made appearances in at least 35 games. The following list shows a breakdown of each of the Cowgirls' first season of collegiate play:
- Vanessa Shippy (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
- Named to the 2015 All-Big 12 Freshman Team
- Finished the season with a .306 mark at the plate, complete with 12 doubles (Top 10 in Big 12)
- Compiled a .432 OBP, giving her the third-highest all-time mark for an OSU freshman
- Tied for third on the team with 16 stolen bases
- Randee O'Donnell (Tahlequah, Okla.)
- Named to the 2015 All-Big 12 Freshman Team
- Starred in conference play, posting a .333 average in 16 conference contests
- Finished with 15 runs scored, two home runs, 8 RBIs and 15 walks
- Jessi Haffner (Wichita, Kan.)
- Joined the rotation after beginning the season as the starting first baseman
- Started out with a 4-0 record in the circle before finishing with six wins and five losses
- Tossed a complete-game shutout against North Texas on April 29
- Maddi Holcomb (North Richland Hills, Texas)
- Reached base in more than 30 percent of her trips to the plate
- Swiped five bags in six attempts
- Posted multi-hit efforts against Wichita State and Arkansas Pine-Bluff
- Mallory Collins (Sand Springs, Okla.)
- Hit .273 in 36 games, making 33 starts along the way
- Showed power at the plate, posting 3 HR, 22 RBIs and a .414 slugging percentage
- Recorded only two errors in the outfield while also recording three assists
The End of an Era
In Oklahoma State's season finale against Texas, senior Shelby Davis played her final game in an OSU uniform. The Goddard, Kan., native went out with a bang, using a 2-3 performance to end her final collegiate season with a blistering .440 batting average. That marks not only stands as the second-highest season total in school history, but also led Davis to the 2015 Big 12 batting title.
Her success was defined by consistency, as she compiled 26 multiple-hit games over the course of the season, including four three-hit efforts and one four-hit performance. She racked up two separate nine-game hitting streaks, and reached base in 17-consecutive games between Feb. 27 and March 21. In conference play, Davis recorded at least one base-hit in 14 of 16 contests, and delivered two or more base-hits on nine different occasions.
Davis' offensive abilities were not only seen at the plate, but also on the base paths, as evidenced by her 109 career stolen bases, a mark that stands at No. 2 all-time at OSU. In 2015, she recorded a career-high 45 stolen bases and swiped two or more bags in nine different contests. In a game against Evansville on Feb. 14, Davis stole four bases, setting a new single-game school record.
Davis' stellar 2015 campaign helped her stamp her name on several different pages and categories of the Oklahoma State record books. The following bullets show her career marks and where they stand amongst OSU's all-time greats:
- .340 Career Batting Average – No. 8
- .396 Career On-Base Percentage – No. 12
- 204 Games Played – No. 15
- 220 Career Hits – No. 5
- 106 Career Runs Scored – No. 9
- 109 Career Stolen Bases – No. 2
A Look Ahead
After registering successful campaigns in 2013 and 2014, junior Tiffany Mikkelson broke out with a phenomenal 2015 season. One of only two Cowgirls to start in all 52 games, Mikkelson posting top-ten conference marks in home runs, RBI, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. Her 13 home runs marked the second-highest single-season total in school history, and leave her only eight short of the career record at Oklahoma State.
Shianne Hughes, also a junior, delivered a solid season at the plate, hitting .280 in 49 starts. Hughes led the Big 12 with .23 sacrifice hits per game, and stole 17 bases in 18 attempts.
Records Fall
As a team, the 2015 Cowgirl softball used 107 stolen bases to average 2.06 swiped bags per game, which both stands as all-time single-season records at OSU. Several members of the team used individual performances to place their names in the record books as well.
- Team Records
Single Season
- .377 on-base percentage (2nd all-time)
- 241 runs (9th all-time)
- 4.00 RBIs per game (tied for 5th all-time)
- 30 home runs (tied for 8th all-time)
- 198 walks (2nd all-time)
- 3.81 walks per game (new school record)
- 107 stolen bases (new school record)
- 2.06 stolen bases per game (new school record)
- Individual Records
Single Game
- Shelby Davis tallied four hits against Wichita State (tied for 2nd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson (vs. Iowa St.) and Vanessa Shippy (vs. IPFW) posted four runs scored (tied for 2nd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson recorded six RBIs against Evansville (3rd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson hit two home runs on two different occasions (vs. North Texas and vs. Iowa St.) (ties school record)
- Tiffany Mikkelson drew five walks against Iowa State (new school record)
- Shelby Davis stole four bases against Evansville (new school record)
Single Season
- Shelby Davis accumulated a .440 batting average (2nd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson posted a .722 slugging percentage (2nd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson registered a .506 on-base percentage (2nd all-time), while Shelby Davis tallied a mark of .484 in the same category (7th all-time)
- Shelby Davis compiled 70 base-hits (tied for 7th all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson posted 41 runs scored (tied for 9th all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson recorded 46 RBIs (tied for 6th all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson blasted 15 home runs (tied for 3rd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson racked up 104 total bases (9th all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson drew 39 walks (2nd all-time)
- Michaela Patton was hit by a pitch nine different times (8th all-time)
- Shelby Davis tallied five sacrifice flies (tied for 2nd all-time)
- Shelby Davis stole 45 bases (2nd all-time)
- Tiffany Mikkelson had 141 assists at third base (2nd all-time)
Players Mentioned
OF
/ Cowgirl Softball
RHP/1B
/ Cowgirl Softball
OF
/ Cowgirl Softball
OF
/ Cowgirl Softball
3B
/ Cowgirl Softball
SS
/ Cowgirl Softball
IF
/ Cowgirl Softball
IF
/ Cowgirl SoftballFriday, June 05
Friday, May 29
Wednesday, May 27
Monday, May 18
