STILLWATER — Oklahoma State handled Baylor to close out the series on Sunday.
Five runs in the first two innings is all the Cowgirls needed as they beat the Bears 5-1 at Cowgirl Stadium.
With the win, OSU goes to 29-2, while Baylor falls to 23-8
“We came out and hit them early,” Kenny Gajewski said, OSU softball coach. “It felt like we put them to sleep a bit.”
Kelly Maxwell got the start in the circle and was in control of the Baylor offense, giving up no runs on three hits and one strikeout in four innings pitched.
Lexi Kilfoyl came in relief in the fifth, giving up no runs and hits in three innings pitched.
“She came in and slammed the door,” Gajewski said. “She’s been great.”
The Cowgirl offense was on a mission from the start
Rachel Becker drew the walk, and Tallen Edwards reached on an error from Amber Toven, setting up an early RBI opportunity for Kiley Naomi.
The senior drove the runs home in a big way, launching a ball over the left field wall, putting OSU up 3-0.
KILEY NAOMI THREE RUN BLAST TO MCELROY STREET.
B1 | BU 0 – OSU 3#AllOne | #GoPokes | 📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/p8MyhTSDFO
— OSU Cowgirl Softball (@cowgirlsb) March 26, 2023
“That kind of just took the wind out of their sails,” Gajewski said.
Becker said the first inning was a big sequence in the game.
“When we can jump on teams and score in the first inning, it definitely gets them down,” Becker said. “When we can even just get one run in the first inning, the other teams just feel the pressure.”
The aggressive offense continued as Katelynn Carwile and Chyenne Factor got on for OSU.
Morgyn Wynne got one home with a one-out RBI single, scoring Carwile and extending the lead to 4-0.
Becker got things going again in the second inning, laying down a well-executed bunt, hitting safely in 28-of-31 games this season.
“I really like setting the tone,” Becker said. “When you see the leadoff hitter get on, that just gives you the confidence that we can all do it.”
“She brings a calmness,” Gajewski said. “The moment has never been too big for her.”
Micaela Wark got her home reaching base on an error by Emily Tott, scoring one more for OSU in the second.
Baylor threatened in the fourth inning with a pair of singles to start the inning. But three straight fly-outs in the infield ended any sort of trouble for the Cowgirls.
Maxwell’s hot start came to a halt in the fifth when the Bears loaded the bases on her.
Kilfoyl came in, and Baylor got one home off an error by Wark, cutting the lead to 5-1.
That is all the Bears got as Kilfoyl got two straight strikeouts to end the inning.
OSU cooked something up in the bottom of the fifth. After Carwile got hit by a pitch, Factor hit a single to right, resulting in Carwile going from first to third on the play.
Chy Factor doing Chy Factor things.
B5 | BU 1 – OSU 5#AllOne | #GoPokes | 📺 ESPN+ pic.twitter.com/be7VwWiQy4
— OSU Cowgirl Softball (@cowgirlsb) March 26, 2023
Wynne tried to bring the run home, but she hit a hard ground ball to third, which then led to Carwile getting caught in a rundown, resulting in two outs for Baylor.
Taylor Tuck didn’t get the runs home either as she hit a ground out, losing any hope of OSU getting any runs in the fifth.
Kilfoyl shut down the Bears in the last two innings, closing out the series against the Bears.
OSU will look to continue this hot streak as they head east to take on Tulsa on Wednesday at 5 p.m.