OSU Softball: Kilfoyl Again Shuts Out Texas, Cowgirls Claim Series

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STILLWATER — Lexi Kilfoyl got all the run support she would need in the first inning Saturday.

Kilfoyl and Oklahoma State again shutout Texas with a 3-0 victory in Cowgirl Stadium. It was the second time in the three-game series that Kilfoyl blanked the No. 2 Longhorns, as the graduate right-hander finished the weekend having thrown 14 innings where she allowed no runs off nine hits while walking two and striking out 11.

“Lexi is just showing why she’s one of the top kids in the entire country,” OSU coach Kenny Gajewski said. “Really cool to see. I was curious to see how she would come out here. She told [pitching coach] Carrie (Eberle) early in this week that she was ready to go 21 [innings]. I thought that was kinda cool.

“We’re trying to monitor her, try not to overthrow her for moments like this where we could try to make sure that these type of games get our very best.”

Kilfoyl’s Saturday run support came by way of Liberty transfer Caroline Wang. A two-time ASUN Player of the Year, Wang crushed a 1-0 count over the deck in left-center field that scored her, Rosie Davis and Karli Godwin. It was Wang’s team-leading 11th home run of the season. That swing of the bat provided OSU with more runs than Texas scored all weekend, as the combined tally of the series was 9-2 in the Cowgirls’ favor.

We have blastoff here at Cowgirl Stadium 🚀#GoPokes | #REP https://t.co/eM0dsZ0BAs pic.twitter.com/9cS6PGmZ98

— OSU Cowgirl Softball (@cowgirlsb) March 30, 2024

From there, Kilfoyl and her defense made it look like smooth sailing, as Texas finished the game with just one runner left on base. Kilfoyl’s season ERA is down to 0.80 as she advances to 13-2 on the season.

As good as Kilfoyl is (which is really good), the defense behind her might be just as talented. The middle infield tandem of Davis (second base) and Megan Bloodworth (shortstop) on Saturday combined for seven assists and three putouts. Davis, only a freshman, is good for a few diving stops a game.

And Wang got in on the defensive action from behind home plate, throwing a laser to catch Kayden Henry stealing in the third inning. Henry entered the day with 17 stolen bases.

CALL IS OVERTURNED 🚨

Caroline and Meg team up to end the inning and keep the Longhorns off the board 🤠#GoPokes | @megbloodworth pic.twitter.com/3g6cnChIrh

— OSU Cowgirl Softball (@cowgirlsb) March 30, 2024

It was a big weekend for the Cowgirls in both national and conference standings. OSU and UT are now both 9-3 in Big 12 play, good for second behind OU, with the Cowgirls holding the head-to-head tiebreaker. The Longhorns came into the weekend at No. 2 in the major national polls, while the Cowgirls were ranked between seventh and 10th.

“I just wanna enjoy this,” Gajewski said. “It’s big, but we have to stay focused and play one game at a time. We have to go to North Texas next, and they give us fits. We gotta find a way to get focused and get some kids going again. We got some kids that are kinda, I don’t know if they’re hitting a wall or what it is. I don’t know, just not going great. We gotta get them back on track, then we need to go take care of that game, and then we can worry about what’s next.

“I’m just gonna focus on the next game because it’s the most important game because it’s the next game. That’s it.”

Kenny Gajewski’s Postgame News Conference