WICHITA FALLS, Texas - Midwestern State takes on Central Oklahoma Saturday afternoon in a key Lone Star Conference North Division twin bill at Mustangs Park. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m.

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Game Notes: Central Oklahoma (11-5, 3-1) at Midwestern State (16-9, 3-1)

Game Notes

The Mustangs carry a season-best six-game winning streak into this week's Lone Star Conference North Division series with Central Oklahoma. Midwestern State has now won seven of eight since returning from the Eckerd College Spring Invitational and is currently in a three-way tie for first place in the North Division with Central Oklahoma and Southeastern Oklahoma State.

Central Oklahoma (Game Time: 2 p.m., March 8 at Mustangs Park): The Bronchos (11-5, 3-1) had their seven-game winning streak snapped in Wednesday's second game of their doubleheader at Northeastern State. The RiverHawks salvaged the last contest of the four-game set 5-4 in Tahlequah. Central Oklahoma had outscored its opponents 32-14 during the stretch. UCO is led by LSC North Division preseason pitcher of the  year Alli Blake. The senior right-hander is 6-2 with a 1.45 ERA. She has struck out 38 and walked eight in 58 innings. Blake has recorded one shutout. Offensively, the Bronchos scored 4.3 runs per game with a .305 team batting average, 11 homers and 23 stolen bases. Senior catcher Emilee Bounds leads the UCO attack with a .375 average. Bounds has two homers and has driven in 10 runs. Senior outfielder Meagan Campbell is hitting .368 with two doubles, a triple and seven stolen bases.

Central Oklahoma (Game Time: 1 p.m., March 11 at Broncho Field): See above.

The Mustangs against UCO

Midwestern State has won its last four games against Central Oklahoma and leads the all-time series 14-7. Saturday marks the Bronchos' first appearance at Mustangs Park, but MSU claimed wins in seven of the eight games played at its former home field – Sunrise Optimist Complex. The Mustangs are 4-4 in games played against UCO at Broncho Field and has claimed wins in three of the five games between the programs on neutral surfaces.

MSU loves its new digs

The Mustangs have won each of the eight games played at the newly opened Mustangs Park. MSU claimed a pair of wins against Southwestern Oklahoma State when the facility opened on April 28, 2007 with a two shutouts – 3-0 and 2-0. The Mustangs extended its scoreless streak to 21 innings before Abilene Christian's Jessica Shiery drove in Jackie Gentile with an RBI-single in the first inning on March 2. The Mustangs have outscored the opposition 43-14 at Mustangs Park.

MSU Softball: An instant success

Brady Tigert brought instant credibility and success to the Midwestern State softball program when it was resurrected for the 2004 season. All Tigert has done is lead the program to four-straight NCAA II South Central Regional appearances, two Lone Star Conference championships (2006, 2007) and three LSC North Division titles (2004, 2006,2007). The Mustangs are 166-76 (.686) during the Tigert era. He is 276-130 (.680) in now his eighth season as a collegiate coach including a 110-54 (.671) mark in three seasons at Texas A&M-Kingsville (2001-03).

Petersen on a roll

Katie Petersen has been nothing short of sensational since dropping her first two decisions of the 2008 season. The sophomore right-hander won her last 12 decisions while posting a 0.49 ERA. Petersen has limited the opposition to a .188 batting average and no home runs while holding them to four earned runs and 39 hits in 57 2/3 innings of work. She has fanned 67 batters and issued 15 free passes. Petersen has allowed just two earned runs in her last 49 2/3 innings and has recorded a win in 12 of her last 13 appearances. The Mustangs are just 2-7 in games when she has not factored in the decision during the stretch.

Stoney K's

After striking out in her 169th at bat in the fi nal game of the 2007 season, Kristen Stonecipher struck out in her first plate appearance of 2008. Stonecipher, who was the toughest player to strikeout in all of NCAA Division II last season, has struck out 14 times in 682 plate appearances. That's once every 48.7 plate appearances. An All American as a sophomore in 2006, Stonecipher became MSU's all-time doubles' leader with her 40th career two-bagger in the fourth inning against Tarleton State on Feb. 2. She is already the program leader in at bats (603), runs scored (118), hits (223) and RBI (143). She needs seven home runs to pass Racheal Jackson for the career lead in homers. Jackson hit 28 round trippers from 2004-06.

Now leading off…

Lindsey Voigt has collected hits in each of the games of the Mustangs' current six-game home stand. In fact, Voigt has recorded a hit in each of MSU's eight games at Mustangs Park where she has gone 13-of-24 (.542) with two doubles, a pair of homers and four RBI. The senior from Wichita Falls has been on a tear since starting the season 4-for-19 and had a .211 batting average going into the Texas Woman's Tournament on Feb. 9. Since, Voigt has collected hits in 17-of-19 games while hitting .500 (30-for-60) with six doubles, five homers and 13 RBIs. She has stolen nine bases, reached base at a .545 clip and slugged .850 over the stretch.

Miraculous Maranda

Maranda Bishop was named Lone Star Conference North Division Hitter of the Week after hitting .571 and slugging 1.000 with three triples in played through Sunday, March 2. With the three triples, Bishop has already as many triples in one season since the MSU softball program began in 2004 with six. Allison Tidwell also had six three-baggers in 2004. Bishop, who hit .273 last season, has recorded a hit in 23 of the Mustangs' 25 games this season and has reached base in all but one game for MSU – against Saint Leo on Feb. 24. The junior from Splendora is currently on a career-best nine-game hitting streak as she has hit .483 since Feb. 24 with a pair of doubles and three triples. Bishop also hit .480 during an eight-game hitting streak from Feb. 2 to Feb. 21.

Jammin' Jessi

Jessica Rodriguez cracked the first homer at Mustangs Park with a two-run shot in the third inning of Game 2 against Abilene Christian in an 8-5 win on March 2. The junior from Houston has recorded RBIs in five of the last six games including multiple runs in three of those contests. Rodriguez is quickly moving up the MSU charts as she moved past Stephanie Wardlaw (71 runs, 2005-06) into fourth place on the school's all-time runs scored list with a run against St. Edward's on Feb. 9 at the Texas Woman's Tournament. She has now scored 78 runs and needs six to pass Allison Tidwell (83, 2004-06) to move into third. Rodriguez also has the fourth-most hits in program history at 136 and needs seven to pass Tidwell, who had 142 from 2002-06. Rodriguez moved past Courtney Veal  (28 doubles, 2004-05) to move into third place on MSU's all-time doubles list with a her 29th and 30th  two-baggers on March 5 against Texas Woman's University. She needs 10 more to pass Racheal Jackson (39 doubles, 2004-06) to move into second. She is third behind teammate Kristen Stonecipher and Racheal Jackson on the all-time RBI chart with 92 and needs 35 to pass Jackson. Rodriguez is second on the all-time walks least with 50 and is two behind teammate Kristen Stonecipher.