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OSU Softball: Cowgirls Come Back to Win Regional Opener against Indiana

The Cowgirls’ offense got going.

Published

12 months ago

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[Devin Wilber/PFB]

Last week, Karli Godwin got emotional when discussing her troubles at the plate this season, but the Hoosiers were intentionally walking her by the end of Friday’s game.

Oklahoma State came back to beat Indiana 11-6 in the first game of the Fayetteville NCAA Regional. Godwin kept the Cowgirls in it early before the highest-scoring inning of OSU’s season put Indiana away. With the win, OSU will play the winner of Arkansas and Saint Louis at noon on Saturday.

As a freshman last season, Godwin had 15 home runs and 51 RBIs with a .340 batting average en route to being named to the All-Big 12 First Team and a freshman All-American. But entering the Regional as a sophomore, Godwin was hitting .314 with five homers and 28 RBIs. Those are still solid stats that many would love to have, but she returned to that freshman form against the Hoosiers.

Godwin was 3-for-3 with two home runs and five RBIs on Friday. With the Cowgirls down 2-0 in the bottom of the first, Godwin sent a nuke to straightaway center that tied the game.

She got back up in the fourth with the Cowgirls trailing 6-2 and sent another two-run shot to center.

Both of Godwin’s round-trippers scored classmate Rosie Davis, who went 2-for-3 with three runs scored against the Hoosiers. Friday was the first time since March 16 that Godwin was batting behind Davis.

OSU went into the bottom of the sixth down 6-4 before things unraveled for Indiana.

Davis got aboard to start the inning when she hit a ball to the wall in center. Centerfielder Melina Wilkison showed some athleticism running the ball down, but as she made contact with the wall, the ball popped out. Davis ended up on second and made it over to third on a wild pitch.

Godwin then chopped a ball to third, and third baseman Sydni Burko threw home to try to get Davis out at the plate, but the throw wasn’t in time, starting the rally.

Macy Graf came on as a pinch runner for Godwin, and she stole second during Audrey Schneidmiller’s at-bat. Then Schneidmiller singled through the right side to bring Graf home and tie the game at 6.

Rachael Hathoot got up to the dish with one out and runners on second and third. She hit a ball to short. Madalyn Strader threw home trying to maintain the tie, but the throw was high. Schneidmiller slid in safely, and a pinch-running Tia Warsop wasn’t far behind. All of a sudden it was 8-6 to the Cowgirls.

But the rally wasn’t done.

Megan Delgadillo got a bunt down that scored Hathoot from third. Then Amanda Hasler got a ball through the right side that scored Megan Bloodworth.

That brought Davis back up, and she doubled to left-center. With the free base, Indiana wasn’t risking throwing to Godwin, and the Hoosiers walked her. Then Schneidmiller drew a bases-loaded walk to score the final run.

The inning finished with OSU scoring seven runs on five hits with three Indiana errors.

Ruby Meylan got the start in the circle, but the Cowgirls’ ace went just three innings. She gave up three runs on four hits. RyLee Crandall came on in relief. She struggled initially, giving up a three-run homer to the fifth batter she faced, but from there, she was nails.

Crandall didn’t allow a hit in the final three innings. The only base runner she allowed during that stretch came when she hit a batter in the seventh inning, but then the game ended with a tremendous double play between — who else? — Davis and Godwin.

This was the type of offensive performance many had been waiting for this team to display all season. OSU hit .636 with runners on base, .667 with runners in scoring position, and the 11 runs tie a season-high for the Cowgirls. If they can find a way to replicate that moving forward, look out.

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