April 17, 2009

TULSA, Okla. - The University of Tulsa softball team travels to Bloomington, Ind., for a doubleheader against Big Ten foe Indiana Saturday, beginning at 1:30 p.m. CDT at the IU Softball Field. The games this weekend were added to the schedule in March for Tulsa's Conference USA bye weekend, in an effort to make up for games lost earlier in the season to inclement weather.

Live stats of the series will be available on www.TulsaHurricane.com. Tulsa is currently 26-14 overall and 10-4 in C-USA play, after sweeping UAB last weekend - 4-2, 3-2 and 13-5 (6 inn.) - and splitting a doubleheader at Wichita State last Wednesday (April 8), winning 8-0 and losing 4-2.

The Hurricane enters the weekend with a team .289 batting average, with 184 runs scored, 306 hits, 169 RBI and 28 home runs. The team also carries a .366 on-base percentage and a .431 slugging percentage. The pitching staff has put together a 2.69 ERA with eight shutouts and has given up 211 hits, 118 runs - 100 earned - 103 walks and 248 strikeouts in 260.1 innings.

Indiana (7-30, 3-9 Big Ten) is hitting .204 as a team, with 78 runs scored, 188 hits, 69 RBI and 16 home runs. The Hoosiers carry a .279 team OBP and a .287 team slugging percentage. The pitching staff has a 4.24 ERA with one shutout and has allowed 295 hits, 181 runs - 145 earned - 91 walks and 143 strikeouts in 239.1 innings.

Individually, Tulsa is led by junior right fielder Lauren Lindsay with a .386 batting average (49-for-127) with 26 RBI, 31 runs scored, eight home runs, 11 doubles, a .661 slugging percentage and a .477 on-base percentage. Senior left fielder Brooke Smart hits .364 (39-for-107) with 20 RBI, 21 runs scored, five doubles and three homers. Junior first baseman Vanessa Vice has a .339 BA (41-for-121) with 17 RBI, 14 runs scored, six doubles and one triple.

In the circle, Junior Jackie Lawrence is 11-4 with a 1.65 ERA and three shutouts, allowing 70 hits and 37 runs - 25 earned - with 45 walks and 101 strikeouts in 106.1 innings with a .182 opp. batting avg. Sophomore Jordan Kinard is 9-5 with a 3.06 ERA with two shutouts, and has allowed 64 hits, 41 runs - 39 earned - walked 43 and struck out 101 in 89.1 innings. Senior Katie Lee is 6-5 with a 3.88 ERA and has thrown a pair of no-hitters. She has allowed 77 hits, 40 runs - 36 earned - with 15 walks and 46 strikeouts in 65.0 innings.

Indiana is led in hitting by shortstop Emily Bergeson, who has a .286 batting average (24-for-84) with 15 RBI, 12 runs scored, three doubles, a .500 slugging percentage, 17 walks and a .417 on-base percentage. Pitcher - and first baseman when she is not pitching - Sara Olson hits .240 (25-for-104) with 18 RBI, seven runs scored, five doubles, and five homers. The Hoosier pitching staff is led by Sara Olson, who sports a 5-9 record in 26 appearances with 17 starts, and has a 3.02 ERA, allowing 126 hits, 66 runs, 50 of which are earned, 31 walks and has struck out 791 in 116.0 innings. Ashley Hobbs has a 2-11 record in 22 appearances and 10 starts, with a 4.54 ERA, allowing 97 hits, 62 runs, 51 of which are earned, 35 walks and 42 strikeouts in 78.2 innings.

Tulsa and Indiana have played six times; the series is tied, 3-3. The teams last met in 2008, a 7-6 Indiana win in the San Diego State tournament. The Hoosiers have won the last two meetings, in 2008, and 6-4 in 2006. Tulsa won the three previous meetings - 5-3 in 2005, 1-0 in 2000 and 4-2 in 1999. Indiana won the first meeting, 9-2, in 1993. Five of the six games between the two schools have been at neutral sites, while one game was in the Tulsa tournament, the 5-3 TU win in 2005.

Tickets for Tulsa softball home games are $6 for adults and $4 for youth high school aged and younger. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Tulsa Athletics Ticket Office in person, by calling (918) 631-GoTU or on the web by visiting www.TulsaHurricane.com.