We're Back! Softball Makes Postseason Return At Norman Regional
May 13, 2012
Scroll to bottom for Selection Show video.
CORVALLIS, Ore. - After completing its best regular season in the last five years, the Oregon State softball team was rewarded for its efforts on Sunday evening when the Beavers were selected to make their 10th-ever postseason appearance. OSU will travel to Norman to participate in the NCAA Regional hosted by Oklahoma. The first game for the Orange and Black will be on Friday, May 18 at 5 p.m. CT/3 p.m. PT against Tulsa. In addition to the Sooners and Golden Hurricane, Lehigh, winners of the Patriot League, will join the teams in Oklahoma.
Games will run Friday, May 18 through Sunday, May 20 in a double-elimination format. A full schedule with all pertinent Regional information can be found at OU's Tournament Central page.
Oregon State, which advanced to nine consecutive NCAA Regionals beginning in 1999, had not heard its name called since 2007. With the announcement, the Beavers become one of only 43 softball programs to advance to the postseason on at least 10 occasions. There are 289 total schools that sponsor the sport at the Division I level.
The trip will be OSU's second to Norman for postseason action. The Beavers last traveled to the Sooner State in 2000. Oregon State defeated Northwestern (1-0) and Arkansas (4-1) to open the Regional before losing to Oklahoma (5-3). The Beavers bounced back with another win over Northwestern (4-0), before being eliminated by the Sooners, 3-2.
Oregon State has faced Tulsa (41-12, 19-5 C-USA) four times previously, winning each encounter. The Beavers last toppled the Golden Hurricane, which won Conference USA this year, on March 4, 2000 (12-0) at the Hillenbrand Invitational in Tucson, Ariz. OSU is 2-10 all-time against Oklahoma, including a 0-3 mark in the postseason. The Beavers have never faced Lehigh.
OSU has so far had one of its more successful seasons in this 2012 campaign, going 34-21 in the regular season with a 9-14 mark in Pac-12 games. The win totals in both categories are the most for the program since its 2007 squad went 41-23 overall and 10-11 in conference en route to a berth in the NCAA Regionals in Ann Arbor, Mich.
In that most recent postseason appearance, the Beavers lost their opener to Louisville, 8-0. Oregon State came back to win the next two games on May 19 against Eastern Michigan (6-1) and the same Louisville squad (11-4) before being eliminated by the host Wolverines (7-0). OSU has advanced past the Regional round only once, in 2006, when it reached the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.
Oregon State defeated nine ranked opponents this season, its most over top-25 teams since its 2006 Women's College World Series team accomplished the feat 17 times. The team also dominated non-conference opponents, finishing that portion of its schedule with a 25-7 mark (.781), which represents the Beavers' best winning percentage outside of the Pac-12 since 2006 (.846).
OSU's renaissance on the diamond also led to its first appearance in the national rankings since February 12, 2008. Beginning with the polls on April 3, Oregon State has been in the top 25 for six straight weeks and currently sits 24th. The national recognition came on the heels of an impressive seven-game stretch which saw the Beavers claim two wins over then-No. 15 Oregon (5-4 (8); 7-1) on March 26 in addition to a road upset of then-No. 14 UCLA (7-5) on April 1. Oregon State hadn't beaten three ranked teams in the same week in six years, since defeating No. 1 UCLA (2-0) and No. 14 Washington (3-2; 5-0) on three consecutive days in 2006 (April 21-23).
Offensively this season, the Beavers have already set numerous team and national records. Oregon State's 283 runs scored are second in program history, its 251 RBI are third and its .275 batting average is also third. OSU has scored 10 or more runs in a game eight times in 2012, which only trails the 11 such games put up by its 1978 team. The Beavers have also defeated five opponents by double digits this year, tying for second in program history.
In the season-opener against BYU, Oregon State scored 22 runs, including 16 in the second inning alone, both school records. In that second frame, the team launched five home runs, tying the program mark for an entire game. The five home runs in one inning tied an NCAA record and the 16 runs scored are now tied for the sixth-most in NCAA history in any one inning.
Ticket Information
All-session tickets for the 2012 NCAA Softball Norman Regional will be on sale online at www.SoonerSports.com and over the phone beginning Monday, May 14 at 8:00 a.m.
Prices are $40 for reserved all-session tickets, $25 for general admission adult all-session tickets and $20 for general admission youth (2 - 12 year old, OU student & senior citizen 55 years and older) all-session tickets. Each day of the regional is considered one session and a session ticket is good for all games in one day. Children under 2 years of age are admitted free. OU students will have to purchase a youth ticket for this event as it is an NCAA sponsored tournament.
If tickets remain, single session tickets will go on sale the first day of competition at the OU Softball Complex Box Office at least 90 minutes prior to the first scheduled game. Single session tickets are $15 for reserved tickets, $10 for general admission adult tickets and $8 for general admission youth/OU student/senior citizen tickets.
To order all-session tickets, visit SoonerSports.com or call 405-325-2424.
Orders will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability.
Norman Regional Schedule
Friday, May 18:
5 p.m.-- Tulsa vs. Oregon State
7:30 p.m. -- Oklahoma vs. Lehigh
Saturday, May 19:
1 p.m. -- Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
3:30 p.m. -- Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2
6 p.m. -- Winner Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3
Sunday, May 20:
1 p.m. -- Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 5
3:30 p.m. -- Winner Game 6 vs. Loser Game 6 (if necessary)
Oregon State Postseason Results
NCAA Regional Tournament
9 Appearances - 41 Games
1999 • at Baton Rouge, La.
5/20 Southern Miss L 0-1
5/21 LSU W 3-0
5/22 LBSU W 3-0
5/23 Southern Miss W 9-1 (6)
5/23 Southern Miss L 0-4
2000 • at Norman, Okla.
5/18 Northwestern W 1-0 (10)
5/19 Arkansas W 4-1
5/20 Oklahoma L 3-5
5/20 Northwestern W 4-0
5/21 Oklahoma L 2-3
2001 • at Tuscaloosa, Ala.
5/17 South Florida L 1-2
5/18 Chattanooga W 13-0 (5)
5/18 Alabama L 0-1
2002 • at Iowa City, Iowa
5/16 Wisconsin W 1-0
5/17 Notre Dame W 2-0
5/18 Nebraska L 0-7
5/18 Notre Dame L 0-2
2003 • at Gainesville, Fla.
5/15 Florida L 2-3
5/16 Florida State W 2-1
5/16 South Florida W 8-0
5/17 FAU W 7-3
5/17 Texas-Arlington W 2-0
5/18 Oklahoma L 2-7
2004 • at Ann Arbor, Mich.
5/20 Bowling Green W 7-0
5/22 Tennessee W 4-0
5/22 Michigan L 2-3
5/23 UIC W 6-5
5/23 Michigan W 1-0
5/24 Michigan L 2-5
2005 • at Madison, Wis.
5/20 Wis.-Green Bay L 0-1
5/21 Wisconsin W 8-2
5/21 Wis.-Green Bay W 5-0
5/22 DePaul W 7-0
5/22 DePaul L 6-8
2006 • at Corvallis, Ore.
5/19 Nevada W 2-1
5/20 No. 19 Baylor W 5-3
5/21 No. 19 Baylor W 3-1
2007 • at Ann Arbor, Mich.
5/18 Louisville L 0-8 (5)
5/19 Eastern Mich. W 6-1
5/19 Louisville W 11-4
5/20 #10 Michigan L 0-7
NCAA Super Regional Tournament
1 Appearance -- 3 Games
2006 • at Corvallis, Ore.
5/26 #6 California L 1-2
5/28 #6 California W 3-0
5/28 #6 California W 1-0
NCAA Women's College World Series
1 Appearance -- 2 Games
2006 • at Oklahoma City, Okla.
6/1 #3 Arizona L 2-3 (9)
6/3 #9 ASU L 1-3
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