March 1, 2011

TULSA, Okla. - The Tulsa softball team will play at home for the first time in 2011 Wednesday against No. 15 Oklahoma State at 5 p.m. at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex.

Tulsa enters the midweek game at 10-5 on the season, while Oklahoma State is 12-3, and ranked 15th in the USA Softball poll and 18th in the NFCA poll. Live video via Hurricane Vision and live stats via Gametracker will be available at www.TulsaHurricane.com.

Tulsa is hitting .268 (106-for-396) with 49 RBI, 57 runs, 17 doubles, four triples and five home runs, and has a .369 slugging percentage and a .339 on-base percentage with 42 walks. The Hurricane has a 1.85 team ERA with 124 strikeouts, 48 walks, 64 hits, 30 runs and 27 earned runs allowed, and has a .177 opponent batting average.

The Golden Hurricane is led in hitting by sophomore center fielder right fielder Caitlin Everett who is hitting .447 (21-for-47) with nine runs, eight RBI, a .511 slugging percentage and a .519 OBP. Junior second baseman Skylar Swanson hits .400 (8-for-20) with two doubles, two homers, five RBI and six runs scored, along with an .800 slugging percentage and a .500 OBP. Sophomore shortstop Samantha Cobb hits .313 (15-for-48) with six RBI, four runs, two doubles, five walks and a .370 OBP.

In the circle, freshman Aimee Creger is 5-1 with a 1.07 ERA in 39.1 innings, and has allowed 15 hits, eight runs and six earned runs, with 64 strikeouts and 20 walks. Sophomore Lacey Middlebrooks is 4-1 with a 1.59 ERA in 39.2 innings, and has allowed 29 hits, 10 runs and nine earned runs, with 31 strikeouts and 22 walks. Senior Jordan Kinard is 1-3 with a 3.65 ERA and has allowed 20 hits, 12 runs and 12 earned runs, with 29 strikeouts and six walks in 23.0 innings.

The Cowgirls are led by third baseman Mariah Gearhart, who is hitting .476 (20-for-42) with two doubles, 22 runs, three RBI, a .595 slugging percentage and a .607 OBP. Second baseman Alysia Hamilton is hitting .420 (21-for-50) with three home runs, five doubles, 12 runs scored, a .700 slugging percentage and a .464 OBP. Kat Espinosa leads OSU in the circle with a 7-0 record and a 1.36 ERA in 51.1 innings. She has allowed 14 runs, 30 hits and 18 walks with 42 strikeouts and a .179 OBA. Simone Freeman is 4-3 with a 2.62 ERA in 40.0 innings, and has allowed 16 runs, 25 hits and nine walks, and has 42 strikeouts and a .185 OBA.

This will be the 34th meeting between the two schools. Oklahoma State leads the series, 23-10. The two teams split last season, with Tulsa winning in Stillwater, 6-2, and OSU winning, 3-1, in Tulsa. The Hurricane is 2-5 against the Cowgirls since 2006, under head coach John Bargfeldt.

The Golden Hurricane will play host to the Holiday Inn Tulsa-City Center Festival this weekend, beginning Thursday at 5 p.m. as TU takes on Drake. The tournament will continue with four games Friday and four games Saturday, and conclude Sunday when Tulsa plays Ohio State, all at the Hardesty Complex.

For all Tulsa softball news and information, visit www.TulsaHurricane.com. Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TulsaHurricane.