What we Learned from OSU Softball’s Second Weekend of Action

Another weekend, another 4-1 showing for the Cowgirls. It’s only two weeks into the season, yet the Cowgirls have already made two fairly long road trips. After going to Tempe, Arizona last weekend, Kenny Gajewski and Co. traveled to Clearwater, Florida for the Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Invitational.

OSU scored 25 runs and hit six out of the park in the handful of games while getting some stellar performances from the pitching staff. Here’s what else we learned this weekend.

The Cowgirls know how to bounce back

Each of the two weekends started with a loss, and each of the two weekends finished with a four-game winning streak. The Cowgirls have shown their ability to not let a loss linger, which is what you expect from a nationally ranked team. OSU’s 8-2 start is its best since 2011.

Group of Cowgirls have asserted themselves as everyday starters

Ten games isn’t a huge sample size, but there are some trends we can see after the first two weeks of the season. Six players (Vanessa Shippy, Sydney Pennington, Madi Sue Montgomery, Maddi Holcomb, Jessie Haffner and Taylor Lynch) have started all 10 games. There aren’t many surprises there, but it’s cool to see Pennington, a freshman, play such a large role early.

The bats have cooled … slightly

OSU hit an unbelievable .469 through the first five games of the season. Their worst batting performance during the first weekend was the loss against Oregon State, where the Cowgirls hit .357. In Clearwater, their best day at the plate was against USF, when the Cowgirls hit .344.

Their team average sits at .361, so the Cowgirls are still getting the job done on offense, just not at the alarming rate they were producing in Tempe.

Logan Simunek is the closer and OSU’s main relief pitcher

Simunek started five games as a freshman last season, but she has made five relief appearances with no starts this year. She has starred in a relief role, not allowing any runs (earned or unearned) in eight innings. Opponents are batting .143 against her, and all four hits she has given up were singles. She also has walked only four batters.

Emmie Robertson is the team’s ace

Robertson was impressive in the fall, but she has looked even better during the first couple weeks of February. She holds a 4-0 record after two weeks and has struck out 23. The next-highest Cowgirl, Samantha Clakely, has 10. Robertson also leads all Cowgirls in innings (26) and is first among starters in opposing batting average (.213).