April 10, 2009
Ranked as high as 10th in the nation, the Missouri softball team is ready to hit the road for its first contest of the season against an Oklahoma program. Missouri and Oklahoma State will battle Friday night at 5:30 p.m. (CT) at Cowgirl Stadium and again Saturday, April 11, at 3:30 p.m. (CT). Missouri's Saturday afternoon game will be telecast live on the Fox Sports Network with Brent Stover and Tracy Warren calling the action.
Entering the series on a three game win streak, the Tigers are carrying a 34-5 record and 6-2 mark in Big 12 games. Most recently in league play, Missouri shut down Texas A&M's offense, blanking the Aggies in game one, 8-0 in five innings, before run-ruling them, 9-1, in game two. Of Missouri's eight games in Big 12 action, five of its six wins have been determined by five or more runs, with three decided by eight.
Sophomore Marla Schweisberger continues to lead the team, and conference, with her .437 average (based on minimums). One of 12 Tigers batting over .300, Schweisberger has the second most RBI of her teammates at 34, while senior Micaela Minner leads with 36. Minner also leads alongside sophomore Big 12 Player of the Week Megan Christopher for most home runs this season, seven.
As a team, Missouri is averaging .335 overall and .293 in Big 12 play. Schweisberger, having started in all eight conference games, owns a .429 average, which stands fourth best in the Big 12. Schweisberger has 10 RBI, bolstered by her first career grand slam April 4 against Texas A&M.
In the circle, two-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Week Stacy Delaney leads the conference with her 1.11 ERA. At 3-1 against league opponents, Delaney has thrown 25.1 innings and struck out 28 batters, allowing only four earned runs. This season, the senior right handed hurler is 9-2 overall with a team and conference leading 0.95 ERA and 88 strike outs. Missouri's four person pitching staff owns the lowest ERA (1.24) of all 10 Big 12 programs, while its 2.23 ERA in league games ranks fourth behind weekend opponent OSU, 1.99 (at third).
Missouri and Oklahoma State have met 87 times since 1977 and OSU owns the 54-33 advantage in the all time series. In their last 10 meetings, Missouri has come out on top eight times, sweeping the Cowgirls in 2007 and 2008. Missouri's last two competitions in Stillwater resulted in wins for the Tigers, 2-1 and 6-1, with then junior
Jen Bruck credited with both victories.
The Cowgirls enter the game having split a midweek doubleheader with Big 12 South opponent Texas A&M and stand at 28-12 on the year and 4-4 in the conference. Oklahoma State dropped game one to Texas A&M, 2-1, Wednesday evening but avenged the loss with a 13-1 shellacking in an abbreviated five inning game two.
Following the Friday, Saturday series in Stillwater, Missouri will return home and host instate opponent Missouri S&T in its final non conference game of the campaign, Wednesday, April 15, at 5 and 7 p.m. (CT).
