Morgan Day’s role more critical for Oklahoma State Cowgirls softball

STILLWATER — Head coach Kenny Gajewski walked into the Oklahoma State softball facility final Saturday previous to a doubleheader in opposition to Texas and interrupted a dialog between assistant coaches John Bargfeldt and Jeff Cottrill.

They instantly obtained quiet, so Gajewski knew they have been discussing one thing necessary.

“We have been considering if we win the primary sport, we have to go to Morgan Day,” one of many assistants stated, referencing OSU’s No. 3 pitcher probably beginning the second sport of the doubleheader. “We wish to throw her subsequent week at Florida State. She must get begins.”

Gajewski appreciated the thought and so they went ahead with the plan, not figuring out how necessary a choice it could turn into.

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Late within the first sport in opposition to Texas, Miranda Elish — who has been stellar because the No. 2 pitcher on the OSU workers — suffered a proper shoulder harm that would impression her availability because the Cowgirls head into crucial stretch of their season.

This week, sixth-ranked OSU (38-7, 14-1 Massive 12) steps out of convention motion to tackle fourth-ranked Florida State in a pair of video games that don’t have any bearing on Massive 12 standings, however may play a job in NCAA Event seeding. OSU and Florida State meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, televised by ESPN2, and at 5 p.m. Friday on ESPNU.

Elish’s skill to pitch within the sequence is unknown, and the three-game Bedlam sequence awaits subsequent week earlier than OSU heads into postseason play. So the Cowgirls are going to wish Day’s arm a technique or one other. 

Maybe Elish seems to be advantageous and Day stays in her present function, making occasional appearances as a starter or reliever. Or possibly Day slides into the second spot behind ace Kelly Maxwell and finds herself in common high-leverage conditions over the subsequent month.

Both method, she’s going to be throwing necessary innings in moments which can be extra tense than what she had been throwing for a group with critical Ladies’s Faculty World Collection hopes.

Day dealt with herself nicely in opposition to Sixteenth-ranked Texas, permitting one run on seven hits over 5 innings, overcoming some shaky protection behind her.

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“I simply needed to go on the market and carry out for our group,” Day stated. “However in a way, I additionally needed to go on the market and do nicely for myself and set up that I’m right here to compete.

“These are the positions that I keep prepared for in these sorts of moments. I’m prepared to choose my teammates up once they want me, and I do know they’ll choose me up after I want them.”

Day has been a powerful piece of the pitching workers with a 9-2 report, a 2.41 earned-run common and 83 strikeouts in 61 innings pitched. However that final quantity is somewhat regarding for the OSU coaches. Previous to her begin in opposition to Texas, Day had solely appeared in a single Massive 12 sport, getting a few reduction innings on the finish of a 16-2 rout of Texas Tech on March 27.

In any other case, she had been showing solely in midweek, non-conference video games.

Day, a super-senior who transferred from Illinois State, has been the ace her complete profession. Aside from the COVID-shortened 2020 season, she has thrown not less than 141 innings yearly. 

For her profession at Illinois State, she confronted 2,273 batters, a mean of 568.3 per season — a quantity that was dragged down considerably by the 2020 season when she confronted solely 331 in 16 appearances earlier than the season was shut down. 

This 12 months, she has confronted 240 batters. So it has been tough staying sharp with the lighter workload. 

“The function, I’m nonetheless sort of adjusting to it,” she stated. “However I’m placing the work in whereas we’re right here, making the most of each alternative I’ve to follow and actually fine-tune issues with spin and site. 

“It’s a distinct mindset and it’s positively been an adjustment for me. However figuring out that my presence on this group continues to be valued and necessary, it retains me going.”

No. 6 OSU at No. 4 FSU

Two-game sequence in Tallahassee, Fla.

Recreation 1: 6 p.m. Thursday (ESPN2)

Recreation 2: 5 p.m. Friday (ESPNU)