Oklahoma State softball beats Fordham to open NCAA Stillwater Regional

STILLWATER — Kiley Naomi bent over in laughter at second base. Karli Petty stood subsequent to her Oklahoma State teammate, pointing and laughing herself.

Behind house plate, a couple of different Cowgirls chased the ball that seconds earlier had been in Naomi’s proper hand. 

The Cowgirl shortstop had made a superb play going to her left on a pointy grounder up the center, then in a single movement, spun and let unfastened a throw within the course of… first base?

The ball sailed about 30 ft west of its goal, bouncing off the backstop, and Naomi instantly doubled over.

It was that form of evening at Cowgirl Stadium, the place seventh-seeded OSU opened the Stillwater Regional with a 12-0 run-rule win over Fordham in 5 innings in Friday’s first spherical of the NCAA softball match. 

Extra:How Morgan Day turned a essential piece to Oklahoma State softball’s postseason puzzle

Coming off a difficult stretch of robust losses and gritty victories, the consolation stage was excessive Friday evening. Taking part in a recreation of their house stadium for the primary time in 26 days, the Cowgirls had been relaxed and rolling, laughing at their uncommon errors slightly than wringing their arms over them. 

Earlier than the sport, OSU coach Kenny Gajewski discovered himself misplaced in his personal workplace, attempting to recollect his pregame routine.

“You play quite a bit at house, so you will have this routine you undergo,” the coach stated. “I used to be strolling round like, what am I gonna do proper now? 

“It was nice to be again house. We play nicely right here. That’s the benefit of having the ability to host. To have our followers right here — the environment was nice. I believe it’ll hold getting higher because the weekend goes.”

OSU scored its first six runs in two-out conditions — three within the second inning and three extra within the third. Clutch hitting, dominant pitching, a superbly executed double-steal during which Hayley Busby swiped house, though it wasn’t known as by Gajewski.

All that got here previous to the six-run fourth inning, when Katelynn Carwile clubbed a solo house run off the highest of the scoreboard in proper area, and Julia Cottrill ripped a grand slam to virtually the very same spot. 

Carlson:This Oklahoma State softball crew is a trendy selection in additional methods than one

Carwile’s emergence this season has been important for a Cowgirl crew that has seen a few of its normal run-producers wrestle on the plate. Carwile didn’t begin the primary 11 video games of the yr, however fought her approach into the lineup in proper area and hasn’t left. She hit her twelfth double of the season, then her seventh homer, getting hit by a pitch in her solely different at-bat as her common raised to a team-best .371.

Cottrill’s house run was her team-leading eleventh, however was necessary for her whereas she’s been combating by some difficulties on the plate. She was 0-for-12 in a four-game span from April 28 to Might 6, then obtained changed within the beginning lineup by senior catcher Taylor Tuck and hadn’t had a plate look within the earlier 4 video games. Earlier than the homer, her final hit was April 24 in opposition to Texas.

“Getting in, coming off the bench and never essentially having my timing down for a pair video games, the gamers earlier than me that had at-bats off of her did an excellent job of giving me an excellent plan going into that at-bat,” stated Cottrill, a junior Stillwater native who has hit eight house runs at Cowgirl Stadium this season. “And sticking to that plan was actually useful. After my first couple swings, I felt higher because the at-bat went on.”

The Cowgirls’ ace pitcher, Kelly Maxwell, was on cruise management. She allowed two hits with one stroll, putting out 10 over 5 innings. She improved her document to 17-4 along with her ninth complete-game shutout of the season. 

“That’s what it takes,” Gajewski stated. “I don’t even know that she was as sharp as she want to be, so it’s good to see that.”

With the win, the Cowgirls advance to the winner’s bracket remaining in opposition to Nebraska at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Nebraska 3, North Texas 0

Nebraska’s Olivia Ferrell and Courtney Wallace mixed on a three-hit shutout to present the Cornhuskers the victory of their first NCAA Regional look since 2016. 

North Texas and Fordham will meet in an elimination recreation at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Cowgirl Stadium.