Cowgirls Topple 13th Ranked Baylor

Coming into the game Oklahoma State softball definitely had more "what-ifs" than results against Baylor, after falling 2-1 on Friday night, a game in which Baylor pitcher Heather Sterns tied a career high with 13 strikeouts. On Saturday the Cowgirls fought valiantly, coming back from a deficit several times but wound up falling short 8-7 in an offensive battle. Oklahoma State softball after those two results saw that while they may not be at the top of the Big 12, they can absolutely hang around with the top teams.

On Sunday the Cowgirls used that fire they had from those close defeats and RHP Brandi Needham pitched a gem, throwing a complete game shutout over the 13th ranked Baylor squad. Brandi only allowed seven base hits on the day, including surrendering only one extra base hit to the Baylor team with the best offense in the Big 12. Her complete-game shutout marks the first for a Cowgirl in conference play since Kat Espinosa shut down Texas on May 3, 2013.

The Pokes only needed one run today, and that was scored on a Shelby Davis single off of the shortstop's glove in the second inning. Shelby Davis, one of two seniors on the team for Oklahoma State, had another huge weekend, topped off by another two hits today, and a stolen base. In the three games in Waco this weekend Davis snagged a blistering six stolen bases, which is why she leads the NCAA in stolen bases per game and is second in total stolen bases.

Other Cowgirls who impressed over the weekend included Tiffany Mikkelson, who hit her 8th home run on Friday, and went 2-2 on Sunday, also getting hit by a pitch twice. Defensively Tiffany is a stud as well, in the final inning of the game today she timed a jump perfectly grabbing a bullet out of the air that was for sure a double and could've caused a lot of trouble. Mikkelson has proved herself as the Cowgirls major threat offensively, with tons of power she is definitely one of the most feared names in Big 12 softball.

The win was the first win over a ranked foe this season, the last time the Pokes took down a ranked team was against this same team on April 17, 2014.

Oklahoma State will get back on the diamond on Thursday at 6pm, facing a Kansas team that has a 29-4 record. OSU will play 3 against KU, concluding the series on Saturday. Come out and support the Pokes in their Big 12 Home Opener!