Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Win Two, Advance To Championship Game
March 13, 2005 | Cowgirl Softball
Oklahoma State's softball team earned the No. 2 seed at the Speedline Invitational with a 9-0 win against Hofstra and defeated Penn State, 1-0, in bracket play to advance to the championship contest on Sunday.
The Cowgirls were explosive in the first game of the day, using a six-run third inning to put the game out of reach.
Tara Jeffery scored what would ultimately be the game-winning run in the second inning on a wild pitch. The sophomore reached on a single, moved to second on an Ashleigh Tweed single and third on a stolen base.
In the following inning, the Cowgirls rocked Hofstra for five hits and chased Calli Osborne from the game after scoring four runs.
The floodgates opened when Shanel Scott scored on a passed ball to open the inning. Two batters later, Megan Carey shot a two-RBI single up the middle and Tara Jeffery followed with a two-run double to left field. Dominique VanNortwick brought in the final run of the frame, lacing a single between the third baseman and shortstop.
OSU added two final runs in the fourth to push the lead to 9-0 and post its seventh run-rule win of the season.
Randi Cook and Kristen Neil combined for the shutout, allowing just two hits and five runners to take a base. Cook tossed 4.0 innings, striking out four and walking one. Neil threw the final inning in relief, walking two and fanning two.
Bracket play started for the Cowgirls with a game against
OSU's best chance at scoring in regulation came in the bottom of the fifth. Jennie Killman and Lacy Darity both connected on two-out singles, but
The Lions put together a rally of their own with two singles in the top of the seventh, but solid defensive plays by the Cowgirls forced extra innings. Shanel Scott ran down a fly ball in no man's land and Jessica Hoppock struck out the final batter to end the threat.
The international tie-breaker went into effect in the eighth inning with pinch-runner Lauren Kitchens starting the inning on second. Darity moved Kitchens to third with a sacrifice bunt and Scott reached on a walk to put runners on the corners with one out. Courtney Totte came through with the clutch hit, sending a single through the left side to score Kitchens and give the Cowgirls a 1-0 win.
Jessica Hoppock tossed a complete game, scattering five hits, walking one and striking out nine in her third shutout of the season.
HU 000 00 – 0 2 0
OSU 016 2X – 9 10 0
Osborne (1), Belonick (3) and Galeone. Cook (1), Neil (5) and Totte. WP: Cook (6-1). LP: Osborne (2-4). 2B: HU-Sweeney. OSU-Jeffery. Time-1:22.
PSU 000 000 0 – 0 5 1
OSU 000 000 1 – 1 6 0
Beseres and Haines. Hoppock and Totte. WP: Hoppock (8-6). LP: Beseres (4-4). Time-1:52. Attn-167.
