It’s not often two teams have identical won-lost records this late in the softball season.
Kansas and Oklahoma State do. Each takes a 24-21 overall mark into today’s 2 p.m. doubleheader at Arrocha Ballpark.
The Jayhawks and Cowgirls were slated to play single games today and Sunday, but KU coach Tracy Bunge and OSU coach Margaret Rebenar agreed to play a twinbill because of a threat of storms Sunday.
Oklahoma State started the Big 12 Conference season with five straight losses, but the Cowgirls have won their last four — a pair each against Texas Tech and Iowa State, two of the league’s weakest teams.
“They’re a club a lot like us,” KU coach Tracy Bunge said. “They’ve scored more runs than us, but they’re not overpowering offensively.”
Kansas, 2-7 in the league, also has knocked off Texas Tech twice. The Jayhawks haven’t played Iowa State yet.
Bunge plans to start senior Kara Pierce (13-10, 1.96 ERA) in today’s first game and freshman Kassie Humphreys (11-7, 1.79 ERA) in the nightcap.
Oklahoma State probably will use workhorse Jessica Hoppock in both games. Hoppock, a freshman from Haysville Campus High, leads the Big 12 in innings pitched with 242. No other league pitcher has surpassed the 200-inning plateau.
Bunge plans to have both of her hottest hitters in the lineup today. The problem is that both Leah Mountain and Nicole Washburn strictly are first basemen, meaning one has to be the designated player.
Serena Settlemier has been used as the DP most of the season, but has struggled at the plate since she began pitching. Settlemier, who ranks second in the league with 11 home runs, was used only as a pinch-hitter in last Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to Missouri.
“We need to get Serena back in the lineup, and that’s what we’re working on,” Bunge said.
