OSU Softball: No. 3 Cowgirls Top No. 25 Oregon 3-0 in Season-Opener

If there was any worry, Kelly Maxwell didn’t forget how to throw a softball during the offseason.

Oklahoma State shut out Oregon 3-0 on Friday in the Cowgirls’ season-opener in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Maxwell threw all seven innings allowing only two hits while striking out 15 of the 22 batters she faced. She threw 92 pitches — 72 were strikes.

It was a defensive game overall. The Cowgirls had just one hit entering the fifth inning when they got the scoring started.

Redshirt freshman first basewoman Micaela Wark got the inning started with a single to center before true freshman Haidyn Sokoloski came on as a pinch runner. Sokoloski stole second and stole third as sophomore third basewoman Megan Bloodworth walked. Taylor Tuck then walked to load the bases before true freshman Tallen Edwards (who should be a senior in high school) singled to left to record her first career RBI.

Purdue transfer second basewoman Rachel Becker then walked with the bases loaded to score another run before Kiley Naomi hit a sacrifice fly to score the third.

Naomi was the only player to record multiple hits in the game, going 2-for-2 with the RBI, a hit by pitch and a stolen base.

Maxwell struck out the side three times. The Ducks got a runner on in the seventh just for Maxwell to force a double play. She then ended the game with her 15th strikeout.

At 1-0, OSU plays North Carolina at 8:30 p.m. Saturday in Mexico to continue the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge.