April 2, 2004

Opening conference play last weekend with two wins over No. 23 Texas, the Missouri softball team has returned home to face the Oklahoma State Cowgirls in a two-game series opening Saturday, April 3, at 2 p.m., on University Field. The second game will play Sunday, April 4, at 1 p.m.

Owning a 15-19 season record, the Tigers look to improve on their 2-0 conference series. Currently tied for second with Nebraska on the Big 12 scorecard (Baylor leads, 5-0), Missouri is down 21-53 in the all-time series with the Cowgirls. Missouri most recently suffered two losses to OSU on April 12 and 13, 2003. Playing in Stillwater, Okla., at Oklahoma State's Cowgirl Stadium, Missouri dropped game one in five innings (8-0), with game two providing a closer contest that resulted in a 2-1 loss.

Back in action, the Tigers currently lead the Big 12 Conference in fielding. Missouri has totaled 642 putouts throughout the 34 games on the 2004 season. With a .967 average the Tigers lead Baylor (.966) and Kansas (.964).

Comparing the Missouri and OSU teams, the Tigers trail the Cowgirls in both batting and pitching. As a team, the Tigers hold a .219 batting average compared to OSU's .235. In pitching, OSU leads with a 2.45 ERA to Missouri's 2.52. The Cowgirls enter the weekend series having played four more games on the season than the Tigers.

The home conference game is the first of seven that will be played on University Field throughout the remainder of the season. Missouri will also take on non-conference opponent Pittsburgh State in one of only two MU night games (April 21).