Softball to Welcome No. 7 Oklahoma Wednesday

TULSA, Okla. – For the University of Tulsa and university of Oklahoma softball teams, the third time really will be the charm on Wednesday when the Golden Hurricane welcomes the 7^th-ranked Sooners to the Collins Family Softball Complex for a 6 p.m. game.

Wednesday is the third attempt at playing the contest, which was rained out on March 9 and again on April 19. With a weather forecast of 77 degrees and sunny with zero chance of rain, it appears the only scheduled meeting between the schools this season will finally be played. This will be the first meeting between TU and OU in Tulsa since 2013.

Tulsa enters the week at 29-17 overall, while Oklahoma is 41-7 overall, and ranked No. 7 in both national top-25 polls. The Hurricane has dropped 10 of its last 12 games, and the Sooners have won 16 games in a row.

Tickets are $8 at the gate for general admission. Pre-sale tickets for the previously scheduled dates will be honored on Wednesday. Live video and live stats will be available on www.TulsaHurricane.com.

This will be the 49^th meeting between Tulsa and Oklahoma, and the first in Tulsa since 2013. The Sooners lead the series, 38-10. The teams last played in 2014, when OU won 1-0 in Norman. Oklahoma, ranked No. 1 at the time of the 2013 meeting in Tulsa, won that game 3-1, and also won 7-1 in the 2012 NCAA Regional. The Hurricane last defeated the Sooners in the 2011 NCAA Norman Regional, 4-3, in the finals. OU won the next game 5-0. TU also claimed a 1-0 victory earlier that season in Tulsa – its last home win in the series.

Junior third baseman Maggie Withee leads Tulsa with a .387 batting average, and has totaled 43 runs, eight doubles, 20 walks and a .456 on-base percentage. Freshman designated player Julia Hollingsworth hits .362, has totaled 26 RBI and 25 runs and posted a .424 on-base percentage. Sophomore shortstop Shelby Estocado hits .321 with a team-high 11 home runs and .626 slugging percentage, and has seven doubles, 37 RBI and 40 runs. Freshman second baseman Morgan Neal hits .313 with seven extra base hits and 25 runs scored. Junior left fielder Maddie Withee leads Tulsa with 43 RBI, and hits .304 with six doubles and six home runs.

Senior Caitlin Sill leads Tulsa in the circle with a 1.98 ERA and a 16-9 record. She has allowed a .252 opponent batting average, 42 earned runs and 144 hits in 148.2 innings. Sophomore Emily Watson is 10-8 with a 2.62 ERA, has 147 strikeouts and has allowed 39 earned runs on 86 hits and a .216 opponent batting average in 104.0 innings.

Tulsa is hitting .297 with 255 runs, 228 RBI, 58 doubles, 26 home runs, eight triples, a .422 slugging percentage and a .378 on-base percentage. The Hurricane pitchers have posted a combined 2.40 ERA with 252 strikeouts in 292.0 innings, and allowed a .244 opponent batting average, 277 hits and 100 earned runs.

Follow Tulsa Softball on Twitter (www.twitter.com/TulsaSoftball) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/TulsaSoftball). Follow Tulsa Athletics on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/TulsaHurricane and Facebook at www.facebook.com/TulsaHurricane.

Softball to Welcome No. 7 Oklahoma Wednesday

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Players Mentioned

Shelby Estocado

Julia Hollingsworth

Morgan Neal

Caitlin Sill

Emily Watson

Maddie Withee

Maggie Withee