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Oklahoma State softball closed out their non conference regular season schedule in a big way on Wednesday night, taking both games of the double header from the University of North Texas, 3-0 and 6-4 respectively.
In the first game Freshman Jessi Hafner wasn't perfect, but was able to work around trouble with a few lucky plays, including a sharp liner to first basemen Danielle Riddle with 2 runners in scoring position, resulting in an easy double play to end the inning. OSU's defense bailed Haffner out multiple times, with their only mistake coming in the first inning when Maddi Holcomb failed to come up with a ball near the left field wall, allowing runners to advance. That error was soon erased, as center fielder Shelby Davis made a shoestring catch on a line drive, then threw behind the runner at 2nd base for the inning-ending double play.
Maddi Holcomb wasn't able to get out of her hitting slump in game one, but wore an inside pitch in the fifth inning, eventually scoring the deciding run on a Vanessa Shippey RBI single. Holcomb had a rough night, as in the sixth inning of the second game she also ran into a ball hit by Shelby Davis for a force out that looked like it was headed for the gap.
Randee O'Donnell put the exclamation point on the first game with a 2 run blast over the left field fence in the sixth inning, increasing the Cowgirls lead to 3-0.
The Cowgirls needed every insurance run they could get in game two. With OSU clinging to a 3-2 lead in the sixth inning, Tiffany Mikkelson hit a frozen rope to left-center that scored two, followed by a Vanessa Shippy RBI single to increase the lead to 6-2 headed to the final frame. Brandi Needham, who had pitched a great game to that point, ran into trouble, eventually loading the bases in a 6-4 game. Peyton Walker came in relief and was able to close the door and improve Oklahoma State’s record to 21-28 on the season.
The Cowgirls look to ride this momentum into a weekend series at home when the Longhorns travel to Stillwater starting on Friday at 7pm. They will close out the regular season at home with a Senior Day Bedlam matchup on May 10th at noon.