April 24, 2009

Columbia, Mo. - The battle for Big 12 softball supremacy will be played out in a two-game weekend series held on University Field. Missouri, ranked 10th in the nation, is set to host No. 13 Oklahoma in what could be a make or break weekend for both squads. The Tigers (11-3) hold a half game lead over the Sooners (11-4) and are in search of their first sweep of OU since the 2006 campaign.

Game one will begin at 2 p.m. (CT) on Saturday, April 25, while the series finale will pair the two teams on Sunday, April 26, beginning at Noon. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for youth. Fans are encouraged to wear gold and arrive early to park in the lots located next to University Field. Overflow parking will be available at the baseball stadium and Reactor Field, with a free shuttle service provided to and from the softball field.

Coming off of a disappointing midweek split with Iowa State, the Missouri softball team is anxious to return to the field and prove its dominance on the diamond. At 11-3 in the league, the Tigers are in search of the programs second-ever Big 12 regular season crown, a title they first captured in 1997. Since the formation of the Big 12 Conference in 1996, Missouri has been awarded six league titles, three coming this season (2008-09).

Currently 41-6 on the year, the Tigers are a mere six wins shy of tying their program high for wins (47), set first in 1995, again in 1997 and most recently in 2008. The most Big 12 wins a Missouri softball squad has ever recorded was 15, set in 1997.

Sophomore Shana White continues to lead the Tigers with a .449 batting average. The Columbia, Mo., native returned to the field in game two of the April 22 series with Iowa State after having missed 12 games due to injury. White is one of 10 Tigers batting over .300 and has helped Missouri to its league leading .333 mark.

Missouri's potent offense has come on strong in its last 10 games. Sophomore Marla Schweisberger is leading the charge with her .485 average and 14 RBI. In the last 10 games, Schweisberger has hit four home runs, three doubles and a triple, good enough for a 1.000 slugging percentage.

As a team, Missouri has crushed 47 home runs, 17 coming in the past 10 games alone, and 19 against conference opponents. Senior resident third baseman Lindsey Ubrun has hit a squad high 11 yard balls in 2009 and moved to ninth in the single season home run record book. In her last 10 outings, Ubrun has gone yard five times.

The Tiger's four person pitching staff has combined for a conference low 1.28 overall ERA and 1.95 mark in Big 12 games. Right handed pitcher Stacy Delaney has been awarded 18 starts in her senior season and owns a 13-2 record and 1.11 ERA. In 101 innings, Delaney has struck out 113 batters. In her two year career at Missouri, Delaney transferred from Michigan, the Tiger pitcher has managed 291 strike outs in 282.1 innings of play. In the past 10 games, Delaney has thrown 26 innings, struck out a team high 36 batters and collected five wins.

Sharing time in the circle, freshman Kristin Nottelmann has proved impressive against Big 12 foes. Nottelmann is 5-1 against league opponents with a 1.54 ERA and 20 strike outs in 36.1 innings. Nottelmann has held her conference opponents to a .172 batting average and earned her second save of the season April 10 at Oklahoma State.

Left-handed hurler Jana Hainey is the sole Missouri pitcher to maintain a perfect record and stands at 7-0 on the year. Hainey has combined for three shutouts and thrown one solo shutout.

Making her first start in the circle since her March 21 outing against Texas, freshman Chelsea Thomas was credited with her 14th start of the year on April 22 against Iowa State. Thomas owns a 1.23 ERA on the year, has thrown two no hitters in her freshman campaign and leads the team with seven solo shutouts. Holding opponents to a .166 average, Thomas' ERA ranks fifth in the conference, just shy of teammate Delaney's in fourth.

Missouri is one of three Big 12 schools ranked among the top-25 programs in the nation and stands highest of the league competition. Oklahoma currently sits at No. 13, while Texas ranks 23rd.