TULSA —
The Tulsa softball team is progressing through its fall workouts, and Head Coach John Bargfeldt has been pleased with the look of his team as it winds down the autumn portion of its offseason practice.
With 13 returning players and four new freshmen, Bargfeldt feels the Golden Hurricane has more depth than in years past, as problem the coaching staff does not mind.
Tulsa has posted a 5-1-1 record through seven exhibition games this fall, with wins over Central Arkansas, Labette Community College and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M. The loss and tie came in a doubleheader at Oklahoma State.
Through seven games, junior third baseman Jill Barrett, who set the school record with a .416 batting average in 2012, is hitting .500 (9-for-18) with five runs and five RBI. Senior center fielder Caitlin Everett, who set a school record with 55 runs scored and tied her own record with 35 stolen bases in 2012, is hitting .333 (6-for-18) with five steals and five runs scored.
Tulsa has hit six home runs in seven games, led by senior shortstop Samantha Cobb's two dingers. Cobb has five RBI and four runs scored. Senior catcher Cassidy Bowen is hitting .308 (4-for-13) with four runs, three RBI and a home run. Sophomore first baseman Julie Kernen is hitting .313 (5-for-16) with three runs, three RBI and a homer. Freshman Hayley Bottino has also homered and scored twice.
Redshirt freshman outfielder Jodi Edmiston, who sat out 2012 with an injury, has doubled, driven in four runs, scored twice, and has a .313 (5-for-16) batting average. Junior outfielder Cierra Hughes is hitting .308 (4-for-13) with three walks and four runs scored.
Bargfeldt said junior Aimee Creger is gaining her strength back after battling an injury from the end of her freshman season, and getting back to the power she showed as a freshman when she went 24-3 with a 1.05 ERA and 256 strikeouts and was a Third-Team All-America selection. In the circle, Creger has struck out 36 batters in 19.0 innings, allowing no runs, six hits and nine walks. She has also returned to the batter's box, where she is hitting .500 (5-for-10) with a home run, two RBI and three runs. She struck out 10 batters 7.0 innings at Oklahoma State, struck out 17 batters against NEO A&M, and punched out nine batters against Labette CC.
Senior Lacey Middlebrooks made one appearance in the circle, and struck out five, allowing two hits and no runs against Central Arkansas. She also doubled, drove in a run, and scored a run in the game.
Freshman Caitlin Sill has pitched 20.0 innings, struck out 19 batters, allowed six runs, 18 hits, and eight walks. She picked up 10 strikeouts in a complete game against Labette CC. She also has a hit in three plate appearances. Bottino has also tossed 4.0 innings with two strikeouts, and allowed six hits, three runs and a pair of walks.
Junior outfielder Haley Henshaw has three hits with a double in 15 at-bats, junior infielder Shelby Blanton has three hits, including a triple, and scored a run in 15 at-bats. Sophomore catcher Amy Harrison has a double, three RBI, and a pair of walks, junior Emma Horton has a pair of hits and a run, freshman Catherine Horner has one hit, and freshman Jocelyn Sheffield has scored a run for the Hurricane.
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