Softball Advances To Regional Championship Contest

Oklahoma State's softball team advanced to the NCAA Regional championship contest with a 6-3 come-from-behind win against Princeton in Tucson on Saturday. The Cowgirls lost to third-ranked Arizona, 3-0, in the first game of the day.

The Wildcats got all the offense they needed in the first inning when Caitlin Lowe came home on a Kristie Fox single. Lowe reached on an error to lead off the game then moved to second on a sacrifice.

UA added a run in the third and sixth but Alicia Hollowell (28-7) did not need it. The junior fanned 11 batters and did not give up a hit until the seventh inning.

Jessica Hoppock took the loss for Oklahoma State, dropping to 14-12 on the year. The sophomore scattered seven hits, struck out four and walked seven.

The Cowgirls faced Princeton in the nightcap after the Tigers defeated Lehigh 3-1 in an elimination game.

The Tigers built a one-run lead on a solo home run from Melissa Finley in the first inning. The centerfielder came up big in her next at-bat as well, knocking a two-run shot to left field to up the Princeton lead to 3-0 after three innings of play.

OSU tied the game in the sixth with a dramatic two-out, three-run bomb from Megan Carey, her second of the regional. Shanel Scott and Stephanie Nicholson started the inning with singles and Carey followed with her fifth home run of the season to tie the game at 3-3.

The Cowgirls then took then lead in the seventh with another two-out, three-run shot. This time it was Tucson native Stephanie Nicholson that came up with the clutch hit. Nicholson, normally a left-handed hitter, did not have a hit in eight tries in Tucson until her final two at-bats of the game. The senior switched to the right side and after a single in her first try she hit a bomb to left center to give OSU the win.

Hoppock struck out five and allowed four hits in her third complete game in two days.

Oklahoma State improves to 35-23 overall and will face Arizona at noon (MST) on Sunday in the championship contest. The Cowgirls must defeat the Wildcats twice to advance to next weekend's Super Regional round.

Arizona 3, Oklahoma State 0

UA 101 001 0 Â– 3 7 1

OSU 000 000 0 Â– 0 2 1

Hollowell and Coburn. Hoppock and Totte. WP: Hollowell (28-7). LP: Hoppock (14-12). Time-2:00. Attn-847.

Oklahoma State 6, Princeton 3

OSU 000 003 3 Â– 6 8 0

PU 102 000 0 Â– 3 4 1

Hoppock and Totte. Schaus and Ries. LP: Schaus (14-9). WP: Hoppock (15-12). 2B: OSU-Darity. HR: OSU-Carey. PU-Finley (2). Time-1:30.

Oklahoma State University Athletics

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