No. 13 Oklahoma State softball upsets No. 4 Florida State to advance to Women’s College World Series

The Oklahoma State softball team is heading back to Oklahoma — in a good way.

The No. 13 Cowgirls upset No. 4 Florida State, the reigning national champions, 3-2 to win the Tallahassee Super Regional best-of-three series 2-1 on Saturday to advance to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. It’s the eighth WCWS appearance in OSU program history and the first since 2011.

OSU’s Chyenne Factor hit a leadoff solo home run to left field in the third inning then Sydney Pennington reached on an error and later scored on one as well to give the Cowgirls a 2-0 lead.

The Seminoles cut the deficit to one in the fifth inning.

Anna Shelnutt hit a leadoff single then was replaced by Deja Bush as a pinch runner. Makinzy Herzog followed with a single to put two runners on, and Bush scored from second on Leslie Farris’ single to center field.

With the momentum shifting to FSU, Cowgirls head coach Kenny Gajewski made a pitching change with Logan Simunek entering the circle for Samantha Show, who moved to first base. Simunek struck out Cali Harrod and got Carsyn Gordon to line out to shortstop Kiley Naomi to get out of the jam.

In the sixth, Show exited after being hit by a pitch and Shalee Brantley entered as a pinch runner. Brantley displayed her speed by stealing second and advancing to third on a throwing error. Madi Sue Montgomery then drove in Brantley for an insurance run with a sacrifice fly to center field.

FSU won’t go down quietly as Shelnutt clubbed a leadoff home run. Simunek responded by striking out Zoe Casas then getting Makinzy Herzog and Cassidy Davis to ground out to send OSU to the WCWS.

Show picked up the win after she allowed one run on four hits and struck out four and walked two in 4 ¹⁄₃ innings of work. Simunek stuck out two in 2 ²⁄₃ innings for the save.

WCWS schedule

OSU is the first team to clinch a spot in the WCWS, so its opponent is not yet known. The WCWS will begin Thursday, May 30 at ASA Hall of Fame Stadium with the best-of-three championship series starting Monday, June 3.