Cowgirl Softball Falls to Wichita State, 5-4

Wednesday, April 22

Cowgirl Stadium

7:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

Wichita State

April 23, 2009 | Cowgirl Softball

Tiffany Dahlquist hit a pinch-hit grand slam and the Wichita State Shockers held off Oklahoma State 5-4 here Wednesday evening at the Cowgirl Softball Complex. It was Dahlquist's second home run of the season. In very similar fashion to OSU's 4-2 victory over WSU earlier this season in Wichita, when OSU's Sam Heinlein hit a three-run homer to win the game, the Shockers were down 3-0 before Dahlquist's blast. The Cowgirls took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when leadoff hitter Mariah Gearhart reached on a bunt single, her first of four hits. She later scored on a base hit by Alysia Hamilton. Oklahoma State scored its second run in the fourth when Hamilton walked with the bases loaded, her team-leading 44th RBI of the season, scoring catcher Ashley Boyd. Back-to-back doubles by Boyd and freshman Chelsea Garcia in the bottom of the fifth made it 3-0 OSU. The Shockers rallied in the top of the sixth. A base hit by nine-hole hitter Lindsie Mitts was sandwiched between walks issued by Cowgirl starter Anna Whiddon. With the bases loaded, coach Rich Wieligman brought in sophomore Alex Villalobos as a relief pitcher. Dahlquist, pinch hitting for Kersti Rowan, hit a 3-1 pitch over the fence in left field, giving Wichita State a 4-3 lead. WSU added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when BreAnna Brown scored on an RBI single by Kiersten Dixon off Cowgirl lefthander Sarah Odom, who started the inning for OSU. Oklahoma State made a run at it in the bottom of the seventh. With two outs and runners on first and third, freshman Kelsey Anchors hit a ball up the middle. Second baseman Kara L'Huillier attempted to throw out Garcia by flipping the ball to the shortstop, but it was too late, allowing pinch runner Heather Kim to score. WSU reliever Brianna Smet got Gearhart to pop up to shortstop to end the game. The Cowgirls (29-17) left the bases loaded in two innings, leaving 12 runners on base. Wichita State (18-27) meanwhile, had sent the minimum number of batters to the plate through the first five innings. Oklahoma State will host the Missouri State Bears on Thursday night at Cowgirl Stadium. First pitch is slated for 5 p.m.