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The No. 13 Oklahoma State softball team allowed four runs in the third inning to No. 4 Florida State in a 4-1 loss in Game 2 of an NCAA Super Regional on Friday night in Tallahassee, Florida.
The loss for the Cowgirls (43-14) will force a winner-take-all Game 3 at 11 am. Saturday (ESPN) for a trip to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. A win over FSU, the reigning national champion and Super Regional host, would give OSU its eighth WCWS appearance in program history and first since 2011.
The Cowgirls were hoping to book their trip to the WCWS on Friday night after winning the opener 3-1 the previous night, but FSU starting pitcher Meghan King had other plans. King stuck out nine and allowed only four hits in a complete game outing.
King was dialed in front the start as she set the Cowgirls down in order in the first two innings before the Seminoles’ offense took over.
With one out in the third and the bases loaded, OSU’s Samantha Show walked Carsyn Gordon for Cassidy Davis to score the first FSU run. Sydney Sherrill followed with a sacrifice fly to deep right field to make it a two-run game before Elizabeth Mason knocked a two-run single up the middle for a 4-0 cushion.
The Cowgirls answered in the bottom of the third when Sydney Pennington scored on an error.
OSU head coach Kenny Gajewski called on Logan Simunek to start the fourth in the circle for Show, who had a rough outing and an inconstant strike zone from the home plate umpire. Coach G also wanted her available for Saturday. Show allowed four runs on two hits, struck out two and walked two and hit one batter.
Simunek found herself in trouble in the sixth when Mason doubled and advanced to third on Dani Morgan’s ground out, but the Cowgirl pitcher was able to get out the jam with back-to-back pop ups.
Show, who moved to first base, singled in the bottom of the sixth but was left there after Madi Sue Montgomery struck out and Michaela Richbourg flew out to center field.