Oklahoma State University Athletics
Sunday, March 4
Stillwater, OK
12:30 P.M. CT
Oklahoma State University
vs
Saint Francis
Tournament Notes: Cowgirls Set to Host Mizuno Classic
February 28, 2018 | Cowgirl Softball
PDF Notes - Mizuno Classic
STILLWATER – The Oklahoma Softball team hosts its first games in Stillwater this weekend, as the Cowgirls welcome Omaha, Maine and Saint Francis to Cowgirl Stadium for the Mizuno Classic. It is the 11th straight year that Oklahoma State has hosted the tournament at its home park, and during that time the Cowgirls have racked up a 42-5 record.
OSU will take on both Omaha and Maine in a pair of doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday before capping off its first weekend at Cowgirl Stadium against Saint Francis on Sunday.
In the Rankings
Oklahoma State is ranked No. 24 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 and is receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll this week. It is the fifth consecutive week that OSU has held a spot in at least one of the national polls, dating back to last year's end-of-season rankings.
Oklahoma State From a Distance
Oklahoma State enters the 2018 season with a genuine buzz surrounding the program. Much of that has to do with a highly-successful first two years under head coach Kenny Gajewski, as well as a large crop of returning and new talent among the squad this season.
OSU was one of the best teams in the nation at getting on base last season, doing so at a .396 clip. That trend figures to remain a fixture of the team's success in 2018, as much of last year's core returns in this season's lineup. Senior Vanessa Shippy, who owns OSU's career on-base percentage record (.502), will lead the line once again as she looks to cement her place among the all-time great Cowgirls.
Along with Shippy, Oklahoma State's lineup will feature stars like Taylor Lynch, Madi Sue Montgomery, Randee O'Donnell and a host of other top-notch competitors. Among the 13 returners this year, OSU brings more than 75 percent of its total number of at-bats from a season ago (1,219-1,592 AB). That percentage grows when you look strictly at the number of hits that still reside in Stillwater from a season ago (77 pct./355-458 H).
The Cowgirl defense and pitching staff also looks to be improved in 2018. With seven of the eight every-day position starters returning to the field this year, along with a revamped pitching staff, OSU looks like a squad that will be able to keep the opposition's bats in check. This year's group of pitchers is made up of three transfers - Samantha Clakley, Emmie Robertson and Kendal Judge - as well as two returners - Logan Simunek and Whitney Whitehorn.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Tournament
- Oklahoma State has won 34 of its 59 neutral-site invitational games during Kenny Gajewski's two-year tenure as head coach.
- OSU is 31-18 in games decided by two runs or less since the start of the 2016 season.
- Vanessa Shippy has started 188 consecutive games. She has started every possible game during her Oklahoma State career thus far, and has played every position but pitcher in a live game.
- Madi Sue Montgomery has started 136 consecutive games entering this season. Like Shippy, she has started every possible contest during her OSU career. Last season, she was one of three Cowgirls to start a record-setting 63 games, doing so despite offseason knee surgery that forced her to miss the entire fall season.
- Vanessa Shippy has tallied 168 hits to only 44 strikeouts since Gajewski became head coach at OSU.
- Rylee Bayless has drawn at least one walk in 16 of her last 22 games.
- Vanessa Shippy has recorded 34 hits over her last 29 games played.
- After a slow start to the year, Taylor Lynch has recorded a hit in seven consecutive games.
- Emmie Robertson has struck out at least four batters in five of her eight appearances this year, including a team-best nine against Oakland on Feb. 18.
- Logan Simunek has not allowed an earned run in eight appearances this season.
STILLWATER – The Oklahoma Softball team hosts its first games in Stillwater this weekend, as the Cowgirls welcome Omaha, Maine and Saint Francis to Cowgirl Stadium for the Mizuno Classic. It is the 11th straight year that Oklahoma State has hosted the tournament at its home park, and during that time the Cowgirls have racked up a 42-5 record.
OSU will take on both Omaha and Maine in a pair of doubleheaders on Friday and Saturday before capping off its first weekend at Cowgirl Stadium against Saint Francis on Sunday.
In the Rankings
Oklahoma State is ranked No. 24 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 and is receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll this week. It is the fifth consecutive week that OSU has held a spot in at least one of the national polls, dating back to last year's end-of-season rankings.
Oklahoma State From a Distance
Oklahoma State enters the 2018 season with a genuine buzz surrounding the program. Much of that has to do with a highly-successful first two years under head coach Kenny Gajewski, as well as a large crop of returning and new talent among the squad this season.
OSU was one of the best teams in the nation at getting on base last season, doing so at a .396 clip. That trend figures to remain a fixture of the team's success in 2018, as much of last year's core returns in this season's lineup. Senior Vanessa Shippy, who owns OSU's career on-base percentage record (.502), will lead the line once again as she looks to cement her place among the all-time great Cowgirls.
Along with Shippy, Oklahoma State's lineup will feature stars like Taylor Lynch, Madi Sue Montgomery, Randee O'Donnell and a host of other top-notch competitors. Among the 13 returners this year, OSU brings more than 75 percent of its total number of at-bats from a season ago (1,219-1,592 AB). That percentage grows when you look strictly at the number of hits that still reside in Stillwater from a season ago (77 pct./355-458 H).
The Cowgirl defense and pitching staff also looks to be improved in 2018. With seven of the eight every-day position starters returning to the field this year, along with a revamped pitching staff, OSU looks like a squad that will be able to keep the opposition's bats in check. This year's group of pitchers is made up of three transfers - Samantha Clakley, Emmie Robertson and Kendal Judge - as well as two returners - Logan Simunek and Whitney Whitehorn.
Notable Streaks and Trends Entering the Tournament
- Oklahoma State has won 34 of its 59 neutral-site invitational games during Kenny Gajewski's two-year tenure as head coach.
- OSU is 31-18 in games decided by two runs or less since the start of the 2016 season.
- Vanessa Shippy has started 188 consecutive games. She has started every possible game during her Oklahoma State career thus far, and has played every position but pitcher in a live game.
- Madi Sue Montgomery has started 136 consecutive games entering this season. Like Shippy, she has started every possible contest during her OSU career. Last season, she was one of three Cowgirls to start a record-setting 63 games, doing so despite offseason knee surgery that forced her to miss the entire fall season.
- Vanessa Shippy has tallied 168 hits to only 44 strikeouts since Gajewski became head coach at OSU.
- Rylee Bayless has drawn at least one walk in 16 of her last 22 games.
- Vanessa Shippy has recorded 34 hits over her last 29 games played.
- After a slow start to the year, Taylor Lynch has recorded a hit in seven consecutive games.
- Emmie Robertson has struck out at least four batters in five of her eight appearances this year, including a team-best nine against Oakland on Feb. 18.
- Logan Simunek has not allowed an earned run in eight appearances this season.
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