Weekend Recap: OSU Softball Impresses in Florida

The second weekend of Oklahoma State’s softball season was similar to the first. The Cowgirls once again went 4-1 on their road trip, bringing their record to 8-2 after a successful appearance in Clearwater, Florida, for the Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Foundation Invitational.

Coach Kenny Gajewski has the Cowgirls in great shape early in the season; OSU hasn’t won eight of its first 10 games since 2011. Here’s a game-by-game recap of the Cowgirls’ handful of contests.

Friday – No. 10 Tennessee 5, No. 15 Oklahoma State 1

10th-ranked Tennessee bested the Cowgirls 5-1, scoring three runs in the first pair of innings. Freshman Sydney Pennington hit a home run in the fourth inning for the Cowgirls’ lone run. Samantha Clakely started in the circle, giving up three earned runs in five innings.

Friday – No. 15 Oklahoma State 5, Florida Atlantic 3

OSU won an extra-inning battle with Florida Atlantic to pick up its first win of the weekend. Pennington got the Cowgirls on the board early with a solo home run to left-center field.

The game was tied 1-1 entering the seventh inning. The Cowgirls loaded the bases with one out, and freshman Michaela Richbourg walked on a full count to bring Pennington home.

The Cowgirls added another run when Maddi Holcomb reached on a fielder’s choice. Florida Atlantic added two runs to force an eighth inning, but the Cowgirls countered with a pair of runs to seal the victory. Sophomore Logan Simunek earned the win, allowing only one hit and no walks in two innings of relief.

Saturday – No. 15 Oklahoma State 3, Missouri 2

For the second time in as many weekends, the Tigers fell victim to the Cowgirls. Montgomery’s single to right field scored Shippy, and a Pennington double in the third netted two more runs. Emmie Robertson moved to 3-0 on the season with a win, allowing only two runs in six innings. Simunek earned her first save of the year.

Saturday – No. 15 Oklahoma State 9, South Florida 5

Shippy began the game with a solo home run, followed by Whitney Whitehorn’s two-run blast in the second inning. The Cowgirls scored five runs in the sixth and capitalized on USF’s three errors. The Bulls countered with five runs in the bottom half of the sixth. However, Simunek allowed only one baserunner in her inning of relief as the Cowgirls won their third consecutive game.

Sunday – No. 15 Oklahoma State 7, Oakland 2

The Cowgirls had to overcome a slight deficit before winning their fourth consecutive game this weekend. OSU found itself down 2-0 after the top of the third, but Whitehorn hit her second home run of the weekend to bring the score to 2-1. Madi Sue Montgomery racked up three RBIs on a pair of singles in the fourth and sixth innings, and Pennington drove in three more with a shot to left-center field in the sixth.

Robertson was electric, striking out nine batters in just four innings. She gave up one hit with no walks.

The Cowgirls’ next destination is Palm Springs, California, where they’re slated to compete in the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic, starting Thursday.