Tulsa Softball Border War

The University of Tulsa softball team will battle with Arkansas and Oklahoma State for supremacy and bragging rights in the annual Border War today at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex.

OSU and Arkansas begin the afternoon with a first-pitch time of 3 p.m., and will be followed by Tulsa vs. Arkansas at 5 p.m., and the evening concludes with Tulsa and Oklahoma State at 7 p.m.

The Tulsa games will be broadcast on the Hurricane Sports Radio Network on 88.7 FM HD3. Live video and audio will be available to subscribers of the TulsaHurricane All-Access package, and live stats will be available via Gametracker, all on www.TulsaHurricane.com. Tulsa is currently 21-9 and 6-2 in C-USA play, after sweeping a C-USA series at Memphis, 9-1 (6 inn.), 10-0 (5 inn.) and 11-2 (5 inn.) on March 21-22, and beating Oklahoma State 5-3 last Wednesday. The Hurricane enters the week with a team .289 batting average, with 141 runs scored, 229 hits, 130 RBI and 24 home runs. The team also carries a .366 on-base percentage and a .439 slugging percentage.

The pitching staff has put together a 2.67 ERA with seven shutouts and has given up 154 hits, 83 runs - 74 earned - 73 walks and 187 strikeouts in 194.1 innings.Arkansas (19-13, 8-4 SEC) is hitting .264 as a team, with 138 runs scored, 220 hits, 129 RBI and 28 home runs. The Razorbacks carry a .330 team OBP and a .442 team slugging percentage. The pitching staff has a 3.36 ERA with five shutouts and has allowed 222 hits, 131 runs - 101 earned - 108 walks and 165 strikeouts in 210.2 innings.

Oklahoma State (26-8, 3-1 Big 12) is hitting .283 as a team, with 155 runs scored, 246 hits, 147 RBI and 20 home runs. The Cowgirls carry a .375 team OBP and a .409 team slugging percentage. The pitching staff has a 1.67 ERA with 18 shutouts and has allowed 68 runs - 53 earned - on 165 hits, 80 walks and 194 strikeouts in 222.1 innings.

Individually, Tulsa is led by junior right fielder Lauren Lindsay with a .394 batting average (37-for-94) with 22 RBI, 22 runs scored, seven home runs, nine doubles, a .713 slugging percentage and a .482 on-base percentage. Senior shortstop Kailey Yarmer has a .347 BA (35-for-101) with 18 RBI, 21 runs scored, six doubles and six homers.

Senior left fielder Brooke Smart hits .346 (27-for-78) with 18 RBI, 15 runs scored, three doubles and three homers.In the circle, Junior Jackie Lawrence is 9-2 with a 1.68 ERA and two shutouts, allowing 48 hits and 24 runs - 19 earned - with 35 walks and 73 strikeouts in 79.1 innings with a .170 opp. batting avg. Senior Katie Lee is 6-3 with a 3.32 ERA and has thrown a pair of no-hitters. She has allowed 54 hits, 27 runs - 24 earned - with nine walks and 36 strikeouts in 50.2 innings. Sophomore Jordan Kinard is 6-4 with a 3.37 ERA with two shutouts, and has allowed 52 hits, 32 runs - 31 earned - walked 29 and struck out 78 in 64.1 innings.

Tulsa and Arkansas have played 15 times; Arkansas leads the series 9-6. The Golden Hurricane won in each of the last two Border Wars, 2006 (7-4) and 2008 (2-1), but the Razorbacks beat Tulsa in the 2008 NCAA Regional in Norman, 7-5. Former TU coach James Pinkerton is in his fifth season as the head man at Arkansas.

This is the 31st meeting between Tulsa and Oklahoma State; OSU leads the series 21-9. The two teams have already played twice this season, with OSU winning 3-0 in Stillwater on March 11 and Tulsa winning last Wednesday in Tulsa, 5-3.

Tickets for Tulsa softball games are $6 for adults and $4 for youth high school aged and younger. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Tulsa Athletics Ticket Office in person, by calling (918) 631-GoTU or on the web by visiting www.TulsaHurricane.com.