Oklahoma State’s weekend was full of ups and downs in its series against Iowa State.
OSU claimed the series win on Saturday against the Cyclones, but failed to capture the series sweep on Sunday.
Hitting was not on the Cowgirls side this weekend as they scored 10 runs all series, including scoring first only once in the three games against Iowa State.
“We just gotta get going hitting wise.” OSU coach Kenny Gajewski said on Sunday. “We gave way too many at-bats away for a team that’s got a lot of experience.”
OSU struggled to cash in on opportunities. The Cowgirls left 19 runners on base in the series, including eight in Sunday’s series finale.
“We just gotta bounce back and get better,” Gajewski said on Sunday. “I feel like we are leaving just too much out there.”
One of the bright spots in this series was Morgyn Wynne. Wynne had four hits in the series, including a home run that won the game for OSU on Saturday. Gajewski said Wynne has transitioned well under new hitting coach Whitney Cloer.
“I think the relationship she has with Whitney is special,” Gajewski said on Saturday. “I think from day one, through all the transition and really tough part of that change that kid was like, ‘I’m all yours from day one.’”
With Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma still to play in, the Cowgirls will look to clean things up in the hitting department.
“It’s tough in this conference,” Gajewski said on Sunday. “We gotta figure out a way to grow up there, and be who we are no matter what.”
OSU won Firday’s series opener 5-2.
Kelly Maxwell started in the circle and was as advertised, giving up two runs on six hits and recording 11 strikeouts.
Maxwell’s stellar day didn’t start out all too well. The Cyclones got to her early thanks to an RBI-single from Kasey Simpson, scoring Mikayla Ramos and putting Iowa State up 1-0 in the first inning.
That run from the Cyclones was the lone run in the game until the fourth inning, which is when the Cowgirls got on the scoreboard.
Chyenne Factor started it off as she hit a bomb over the left field wall, tying the game 1-1.
After Micaela Wark drew a walk, Katelynn Carwile got her home thanks to her one-out double, giving OSU the 2-1 lead.
The scoring continued in the fifth for OSU as Rachel Becker hit a two-run shot to give OSU a commanding 4-1 lead.
Tallen Edwards got one more in the sixth off of Tallen Edwards two-out single, scoring Carwile and putting OSU up 5-1.
Iowa State scored one in the seventh, but that is all they got as Maxwell got the complete game victory.
Maxwell improved to 13-0 on the year with a 1.41 ERA. Her 157 strikeouts are the most on the team this season.
Saturday was another dominant day for the Cowgirl pitching staff.
Lexi Kilfoyl got the nod in the second game and was amazing, giving up two hits and two runs and recording nine strikeouts in her complete-game performance.
“I felt like I was continuously getting warmer as the game went on,” Kilfoyl said on Saturday.
Gajewski said he likes how Kilfoyl grows into the game.
“I just feel like as the game goes, she finds that groove,” Gajewski said on Saturday. “She is mentally tough. I didn’t think she had her best stuff in the first three innings, and then it just kind of clicked.”
Both teams went scoreless in the first two innings, but it was the Cyclones that got on the board first.
Iowa State got two in the third thanks to an Angelina Allen two-out single, scoring Sarah Tyree and Alesia Ranches and putting Iowa State up 2-0.
As the Cyclones bats got hot, OSU’s bats caught fire in the third.
After Audrey Schneidmiller and Becker, Factor came up to get OSU on the scoreboard.
The senior delivered, hitting a one-out single to right field that scored Schneidmiller, cutting the lead to 2-1.
Naomi kept it going with a shot up the middle, scoring Becker and tying the game at 2-2.
Wark reached on a walk, setting up a bases-loaded opportunity for Katelynn Carwile.
The opportunity ended just as quickly as it started as Carwile’s ground ball resulted in a double play, ultimately ending the inning for OSU.
Morgyn Wynne broke the tie in the fourth with a blast over the left field wall, giving the Cowgirls the lead 3-2.
“It felt great,” Wynne said on Saturday. “I just saw it coming right out of the hand, and I knew I was ready for it just because I was purposely trying to let the ball get deeper into the zone.”
OSU kept it going in the fifth as it got bases loaded, giving Wynne another RBI opportunity.
Wynne hit a line drive that was caught by Kasey Simpson. Simpson then fired the ball to get pinch-runner Haidyn Sokoloski out at first, ending another inning that looked promising for the Cowgirls.
Kilfoyl kept mowing Iowa State down after giving up the two runs in the third. Six of her nine strikeouts came after the third inning.
Iowa State was not going away without a fight as it got runners on first and second with one out, keeping everyone in Cowgirl Stadium on their toes.
Kilfoyl was not fazed, as she struck out the next two Cyclones to give OSU the 3-2 win.
Sunday’s game was a much different result for the Cowgirls.
OSU could not get the bats going as it lost the series finale to Iowa State.
“Just didn’t play well here today,” Gajewski said on Sunday. “Our energy just wasn’t good.”
Ellie Spelhaug was OSU’s kryptonite in this game. She came in the fourth inning and gave up no runs on two hits on 7 2/3 innings pitched.
“Spelhaug really had us in knots,” Gajewski said. “Felt like we were just out of sorts.”
Kyra Aycock got the start and held the Cyclones at bay, giving up two runs, two walks and six hits in 6 2/3 innings pitched.
Maxwell came on and gave up the one run in the 11th that put Iowa State on top but had five strikeouts in four innings pitched for OSU.
The Cowgirl offense scored one of their two runs in the first inning.
Becker started it off with a double, then advanced to third off a passed ball. Factor drew a walk, setting up a scoring opportunity for Naomi.
Naomi brought Becker home off her single into left field, putting the OSU up 1-0.
Iowa State got it back in the second off an RBI double from Carli Spelhaug, tying the game at 1-1.
The Cyclones kept it going after Factor’s diving attempt at a fly ball was not successful, scoring one more off that to put them up 2-1.
Iowa State were looking to add more runs in third, but Megan Bloodworth put an end to that. Angelina Allen hit a line drive that was caught by Bloodworth, which then turned into a double play after she threw back to Becker to get the runner out at second.
Naomi got things going in the fourth with a lead off double. After a Wark line drive was caught by Alesia Ranches and a Carwile walk, Morgyn Wynne came up big.
Wynne hit a blooper into right field, scoring Naomi and tying the game at 2-2.
No team scored in the last four innings, setting up free softball in Stillwater.
Iowa State pulled through in the 11th as Milaysia Ochoa hit an RBI single to put Iowa State up 3-2.
OSU had an opportunity in the bottom of the inning, but couldn’t get it done as it took the defeat in the final game of the series.
“How we respond will be the next question as we head into next week,” Gajewski said.
Bouncing back is what the Cowgirls will look to do on Tuesday when they play Wichita State at 6 p.m., in Stillwater. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
