Oklahoma State Hasn’t Given Up on Hosting Supers Ahead of Showdown with Texas

STILLWATER — This time last week, it felt like the Cowgirls were backed into a bit of a corner by both their results earlier in the season and the daunting schedule ahead.

Then Oklahoma State went 3-1 against the Sooners and the Big 12’s second-best team, Arizona, which earned them a bit of breathing room and a chance to make a real run at hosting in the postseason.

“I learned that we can be ourself in the big moments,” OSU coach Kenny Gajewski said. “Which should really help us as we get going here and into the postseason and that kind of stuff.

“But like I told our team, this is, it’s not technically postseason right now, but it really is, because you’re every win is moving you closer to things you want to do, and hosting and that kind of stuff. So they’re kind of in that mode.”

On Wednesday night, the Cowgirls face a Texas team (35-7 overall) ranked fourth by ESPN, fifth by D1Softball and first overall according to RPI. For context, the Cowgirls (30-12, 11-7 Big 12) rank 17th and 14th in those polls, but 19th according to RPI.

Only the top sixteen teams following conference tournaments will host in the first round. While it’s possible to host supers with a lower seed, only the top eight control their destiny where that is concerned.

Gajewski said they don’t discuss the big picture with the players regularly, but the coaches also don’t keep them in the dark. So it comes up at times, although he didn’t elaborate to what extent it has been discussed in the last week.

“They’re very aware that when you host, you’re in a better place,” he said. “So I don’t need to really discuss that.”

On Tuesday, Gajewski made it clear Oklahoma State still wants to make a run at a top eight seed.

That might be impossible to do without notching an impressive win over the Longhorns.

“Well, the reason it’s important is you need to know where you stand,” Gajewski said, describing why he schedules tough non-conference games like Texas and the Sooners. “That’s number one. … If you don’t play them, you don’t know where you stand, you can’t beat them. You have nothing to build upon.”

Other than ace Ruby Meylan, no Cowgirl is entering the week quite as hot as Tia Warsop, who the Big 12 named as Co-Player of the Week in the conference after she finished 8-for-14 last week with two doubles and five RBIs in the Cowgirls’ pivotal week.

“I still think there’s a lot more in that tank,” Gajewski said. “She can get better, and it’s been fun to watch her. She’s one of the ones that I had to sit down for three or four games. … So it’s really cool to watch. I’ve had numerous people reach out about her this week, and some of her old coaches, just really thrilled with how she’s getting better here. And I think that makes me really happy for our staff, the people that put the work in with her, and the fact that she’s bought in.”

Warsop has the second-best batting average on the team, hitting .363, although she’s sixth in total bases (54), largely because she has only six doubles and one home run this season. When asked about her potential for growth, Gajewski didn’t hold back.

“Well, I think she is a kid that could easily hit over .400, she could hit mid .400s,” Gajewski said. “I think she could hit 6-10 home runs. I think she could be a better, more consistent bunter. I think she could definitely improve her outfield play. She had a play against OU, okay, hard play. Okay, well, this is a hard game, and this is an elite level, and she has the ability to make that hard play, which we need her to make that hard play, that’s a precious out, right? Those are things that we’ve got to be able to stop.

“So she can improve in every part of her game, every single part I shouldn’t ever have to take Tia out of the lineup. She’s that type of talent, and I think she’s figuring it out.”

Warsop is expected to play Wednesday night assuming her flight from England stays as scheduled. Gajewski said she didn’t travel with the team because she was attending her grandmother’s funeral which was delayed for a few weeks until Warsop could organize travel.

“And I tell you that (about Warsop), because I think it’s important,” Gajewski said. “Like these kids, not just our kids, Texas’ kids, OU’s kids, Baylor’s kids, these teams that we’re playing, they all go through the same stuff, and we don’t, don’t hear that stuff enough.

“They’re normal people that fight the normal things, and it’s just kind of cool to watch them grow. But she’s got a lot of room that she can still grow, and I’m just very proud of her for the way she’s going about it, the way she just keeps digging in.”

Although Warsop’s big week coincided with three huge wins for Oklahoma State, Gajewski made it clear none of it changed his opinion of the team or her.

“I don’t know that I learned anything crazy,” he said. “I think it just validated to me that and to them, you know, it should have validated to them that the stuff that they’re doing is paying off, and that’s why you work.”