OSU Softball: Women’s College World Series Preview

The Cowgirls punched their ticket to OKC last weekend, earning a 2-1 Super Regional win over another top 10 seed in Texas. That means consecutive trips to the Women’s College World Series for Kenny Gajewski’s team.

The Cowgirls Have Come a Long Way

The Cowgirls will face Georgia in Game 2 of the bracket on Thursday afternoon, a team they haven’t faced since Kenny Gajewski’s first year at the helm in 2016. The Bulldogs edged out the Cowgirls in the Georgia Regional. OSU has come a long way since then.

That year OSU fought hard, pushing Georgia to a regional final, but Cowgirls fans were just happy to be invited to the party. In the years since, a regional berth has become less a novelty and more of an expectation.

OSU has reached the NCAA Tournament in every postseason since — other than last year when a pandemic shut down sports — and will now appear in consecutive Women’s College World Series.

The Road Runs through Oklahoma

As a 1 seed and 5 seed, respectively, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State got to OKC without leaving the Sooner State, each hosting in the regional and super regional rounds.

But if the Cowgirls want to advance very far in OKC, they’ll have to get through the Sooners, and those two teams would meet on Friday with opening wins on Thursday.

These are the best eight teams in softball so there won’t be an easy out, but OU has been dominant this year and, historically, in this rivalry.

The Cowgirls proved they can beat the Sooners, topping OU 6-4 in the Bedlam series in Stillwater. It was the first win against OU since 2011, but it was also just the Sooners’ second loss this year.

The WCWS is a double-elimination format but a loss on Friday to OU (if both teams win on Thursday) would put OSU on the other side of the bracket having to work its back to a potential rematch with the nation’s top team.

WCWS History

The is the Cowgirls’ 12th appearance at the Women’s College World Series. On its last trip to OKC, OSU opened the 2019 WCWS with a win over No. 8 Florida before falling to Nos. 1 and 2 Oklahoma and Washington.

OSU appeared in the first-ever WCWS in 1982 and also made the Final Eight in 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1998 and 2011.

WCWS Schedule/Bracket

Here’s a look at the times/TV info and bracket for the entire WCWS field.

Thursday, June 3

Game 1: Oklahoma vs. James Madison, 11 a.m. CT, ESPN
Game 2: Georgia vs. Oklahoma State, 1:30 p.m. CT, ESPN
Game 3: Arizona vs. Alabama, 6 p.m. CT, ESPN
Game 4: Florida State vs. UCLA, 8:30 p.m. CT, ESPN

Friday, June 4

Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, 6 p.m. CT, ESPNU
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 8:30 p.m. CT, ESPNU

Saturday, June 5

Game 7: Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser, 11 a.m. CT, ESPN
Game 8: Game 3 loser vs. Game 4 loser, 1:30 p.m. CT, ESPN
Game 9: Game 6 loser vs. Game 7 winner, 6 p.m. CT, ESPN
Game 10: Game 5 loser vs. Game 8 winner, 8:30 p.m. CT, ESPN

Sunday, June 6

Game 11: Game 5 winner vs. Game 9 winner, noon CT, ESPN
Game 12: Game 6 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 2:30 p.m. CT, ESPN
Game 13: Game 11 teams (if necessary), 6 p.m. CT, ESPN2
Game 14: Game 12 teams (if necessary), 8:30 p.m. CT, ESPN2

Championship series

Game 1: 6:30 p.m. CT, Monday, ESPN
Game 2: 6:30 p.m. CT, Tuesday, ESPN
Game 3 (if necessary): 6 p.m. CT, Wednesday, ESPN