TU softball begins

The University of Tulsa softball team plays host to the Tulsa Select Festival softball tournament to open its 2009 home slate this weekend at the Donna J. Hardesty Sports Complex.

The tournament features Creighton, which competed in the NCAA Regionals in 2008, as well as Louisiana-Monroe, Saint Louis and South Dakota State. Last season, the Golden Hurricane posted a 16-4 record at home, and under head coach John Bargfeldt, TU holds a 54-20 record at the Hardesty Complex since 2006.

It should be noted that times have changed for the tournament, including one game moved from Saturday to Friday. The original Friday schedule is intact, with the exception of one game added at the end of the day at 7 p.m. Game times for Saturday and Sunday will be determined on Friday due to harsh weather forecast for Saturday and will be announced when they become available. The tournament opens Friday at 11 a.m. with Creighton taking on South Dakota State, and then continues at 1p.m. with South Dakota State vs. Saint Louis, 3 p.m. with Creighton vs. Saint Louis, 5 p.m. Tulsa vs. Louisiana-Monroe and 7 p.m. Tulsa vs. South Dakota State. Games currently scheduled for Saturday are, South Dakota State vs. Louisiana-Monroe, Tulsa vs. Saint Louis and Creighton vs. Louisiana-Monroe, while Sundays games include Saint Louis vs. Louisiana-Monroe and Tulsa vs. Creighton.

Tulsa leads Louisiana-Monroe in the all-time series 12-5 dating back to 1994, and has won the last two meetings, 7-0 in 2006 and 3-0 in 2005. The Hurricane has won seven of the last eight games since 2003 and 8-of-10 since 2000. TU leads Saint Louis 2-0, winning 8-3 in 2004 and 4-2 in 1993. The win in 1993 was one of only two during Tulsa's first season of competition in softball.

The Golden Hurricane trails the series against Creighton, that dates back to 1993, 5-12. The former Missouri Conference rivals met nine times between 1993 and 1996 with the Blue Jays holding a 8-1 advantage during that time. Since then, Tulsa is 2-4 (since 2001) and has won two of the last three games 7-0 in 2006 and 3-1 in 2007. Creighton won the last meeting 7-2 in 2008. The game against South Dakota State will be the first meeting in softball between the two schools.

Tickets to the Tulsa Select Festival and all Golden Hurricane softball games throughout the season can be purchased by visiting http://www.tulsahurricane.com/ or by calling (918) 631-GoTU.