OSU Softball: No. 3 Cowgirls Drop Series Opener to No. 6 Florida State

The Cowgirls’ winning streak ends at 16 games.

Oklahoma State fell to Florida State 7-5 on Friday night at Cowgirl Stadium. The No. 6 Seminoles jumped out to a 4-0 lead just for the No. 3 Cowgirls to storm back and take a 5-4 lead before things started to fall a part.

With the Cowgirls’ one-run lead, the Seminoles had runners on second and third with one out in the top of the sixth inning. That’s when Kaley Mudge hit a ball down the first-base line and stopped midway through her trot to first base. The Cowgirls tried to throw the runner at home but it wasn’t in time, and because no one touched first base, Mudge was called safe after she got going again.

Then after another wild fielder’s choice play did result in an out, Kalei Harding drilled a ball high off the wall in left center to score two more and give the Seminoles a 7-5 lead.

The Cowgirls had a chance to answer in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases with two outs before Micaela Wark fouled out to third base.

OSU ace Kelly Maxwell started in the circle and had her roughest outing of the season, but it came against superb competition (FSU is 21-3). Maxwell allowed five runs off three hits in five and 1/3 innings. She walked seven and struck out six. With her outstanding start to the season, Maxwell’s ERA fell to just 2.22.

Lexi Kilfoyl came on in relief, throwing one 2/3 innings where she allowed two runs off one hit, walking two and striking out none.

The Cowgirls’ climb out of an early 4-0 hole started in the bottom of the fourth. OSU scored four runs in the inning thanks in no small part to a pair of FSU errors. Chyenne Factor, Morgyn Wynne and Rachel Becker all earned RBIs in the inning. Speaking of Becker, her 18-game hit streak also came to an end Friday after she went 0-for-2 at the plate. Her RBI came off a bases-loaded walk, one of two walks she drew in the game.

OSU then briefly took the lead in the bottom of the fifth after another error. Of the five runs the Cowgirls scored, none were earned.

The Cowgirls will have a chance to tie the series Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.