TU Softball To Host In-State Rival OSU

The University of Tulsa softball team will face-off against in-state rival Oklahoma State for the second time this season as they host the Cowgirls tomorrow night at 5 p.m. at the Collins Family Softball Complex. The first 150 fans at the game will receive rally towels while 250 player card team sets will be given out as well.
 
The Hurricane (29-13 Overall, 8-1 The American) head into the mid-week contest after sweeping Houston at home in conference play. Tulsa took the last meeting from Oklahoma State on the road at Cowgirl Stadium 3-2 behind a then tied for program-record 17 strikeouts from Emily Watson. Both squads put runs on the board in the first inning as Tulsa plated one before OSU took a 2-1 lead at the end of one. Maggie Withee drove in the final two runs of the ballgame to put TU up 3-2 as the Hurricane out-hit the Cowgirls 10 to 2 in the contest.
 
Both the Hurricane and Cowgirls are receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll heading into the week. Oklahoma State (28-16 Overall, 8-1 Big 12) went 3-1 in four games last week and are 3-4 since falling to TU back on April 5.

SWEEP, SWEEP...
The Hurricane swept their second three-game conference series of the season as they took all three games from Houston over the weekend at the Collins Family Softball Complex, taking control of the all-time series 20-17. The sweep marked the first for Tulsa over Houston in program history as both squads were in C-USA together from 2006-2013 and in The American from 2015-present. 

MOVIN' ON UP...
Emily Watson moved into 5th on Tulsa's career strikeout list with 493 as she struck out 25 batters last week to pass Maren Genow (2003-06) for 5th on the list. Watson trails Jordan Kinard (2008-11) for 4th all-time with 515 strikeouts while Julie Fennell (2004-07) ranks 3rd with 539 in her career. The junior also entered the top-10 for career wins as she picked up win number 40 in game one against Houston. 

THE AMERICAN WEEKLY...
Emily Watson was named The American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Week for the sixth time this season after going 1-0 with two saves and a 0.51 earned run average in 13.2 innings pitched. In a 10-inning win over Houston, Watson struck out a program-best 21 batters, the second-most in the NCAA this season. The junior picked up her second save against the Cougars in game three after a bases-loaded game-ending double play. Tori Stafford got the Honor Roll nod for the week after slugging .462 and hitting .385, including a walk-off winning single in the bottom of the 10thinning in game one. Stafford drove in a run in each of Tulsa's three games against Houston. 

HOME SWEET HOME...
TU owns a 9-2 record on their home field at the Collins Family Softball Complex through 11 home contests this season, including two home conference series. The Hurricane are out-hitting their opponents at home .293 to .216 while TU's pitching and defense is holding their opponents to just 1.08 earned runs per contest. In the 11 contests, Tulsa has out-scored the competition 43 to 19.Emily Watson owns a 6-0 record with a 0.43 ERA at home while Tori Stafford leads the offense with a .467 average with .700 slugging.