Midweek Rematch at Oklahoma State
UPDATE: Due to forecast of rain in the Stillwater area Tuesday night, tomorrow’s game has been moved up to 3 p.m.
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas softball team plays its final midweek game of the season Tuesday with a road matchup against Oklahoma State. The non-conference contest is scheduled for a 3 p.m. (CT) first pitch at Cowgirl Stadium in Stillwater and will be televised on Fox Sports Plus.
Tuesday’s game marks the second meeting this year between Arkansas (17-32, 1-17 SEC) and Oklahoma State with the Cowgirls posting a 10-7 victory March 2 in Fayetteville. Ashley Diaz had a two-run base hit while Tori Cooper registered a pinch-hit double in that meeting. Overall, the all-time series is tied at 6-6 but the Razorbacks have won just one of the four previous games played in Stillwater.
With seven games remaining in the regular season, the Razorbacks are tied for fifth in the SEC and 32nd in the NCAA with 47 home runs. Arkansas hit four home runs in its three-game series at Ole Miss last weekend including round trippers from Nicole Schroeder and Shelby Hiers in Sunday’s finale. It was the team’s 13th game this season and third SEC outing with at least two home runs.
Schroeder’s home run, a third-inning grand slam, was her seventh big fly of the year and 20th of her career. She is the ninth player in program history to reach 20 home runs, and is currently tied with Dayna Huckabee (2005-08) for eighth place on Arkansas’ all-time list. Schroeder enters the week with hits in 12 of her last 13 games including hits in a career-best nine straight.
Diaz, a member of the NFCA Freshman of the Year Top-25 Watch List, continues to lead the Razorbacks at the plate with her .345 batting average, 12 home runs and 40 RBI. She is followed by Hiers who is hitting .303 with nine home runs while Schroeder has improved her batting average to .289 during her current hot streak. In the circle, Grace Moll is five strikeouts shy of joining the program’s career top-10 list.
Oklahoma State carries a 22-22 overall record with a 4-9 mark in Big 12 play after being swept at Texas last weekend in a series in which all three games were decided by two or fewer runs. Taylor Lynch paces the Cowgirls’ offense with her .420 batting average and 58 hits while Tiffany Mikkelson and Madi Sue Montgomery have each hit a team-high nine home runs. In the circle, Kacy Freeze leads the pitching staff with 12 wins and 76 strikeouts in 132.1 innings of work.
For more information about purchasing tickets for home games this season, call 800-982-HOGS (4647) or 479-575-5151, email raztk@uark.edu or visit the Razorback Ticket Center located next to Baum Stadium. The ticket window opens one hour before first pitch of each home game. Follow @RazorbackSB on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more information about Arkansas Softball.
