Cowgirls Open Season With Wins

Friday, February 12

San Marcos, Texas

2:30 PM

Oklahoma State University

2-0

Northern Illinois

0-1

Northern Illinois

Oklahoma State

Sophomore Julie Ward finished the day with two home runs and eight RBIs

February 12, 2010 | Cowgirl Softball

Box Score

Feb. 12, 2010

Final Stats

SAN MARCOS, Texas --The Oklahoma State softball team run-ruled UT-Arlington 12-0 in five innings and defeated Northern Illinois 5-4 in extra innings in San Marcos on Friday afternoon.

Sophomore Julie Ward led the Cowgirls offensively in the first game against UTA with a grand slam, a three-run home run and seven runs batted in. Juniors Mariah Gearhart, Alysia Hamilton and Taylor Marcum and senior Megan Castle each added an RBI while sophomore Kelsey Anchors tallied two hits, one being a triple.

Senior Anna Whiddon started in the circle for Oklahoma State and threw four shutout innings and allowed only two hits, walked two and struck out four. Marcum took over in the fifth to finish the shutout. Whiddon starts the season 1-0.

Sophomore Sarah Odom started the second game against Northern Illinois and gave up the early lead to the Huskies as Jennifer Barnett hit a single up the middle to score Ashley Cann. However, OSU answered in the bottom of the first as Gearhart reached base on a bunt single, stole second and reached third on an error. Ward followed two batters later with a double off the left field wall and Gearhart scored earning Ward her eighth RBI of the day.

The Huskies again took the lead in the third inning when Dani Parrish hit a three-run home run to right field. The Cowgirls replied in the bottom of the third with two runs of their own off an error by UNI's third baseman. Freshman Kat Espinosa took over in the circle for OSU in the fourth inning and was able to quiet the UNI bats.

Oklahoma State then tied the game in the bottom of the sixth as Castle led off with a double and later scored on a single by Gearhart. But after not being able to score in the seventh, the game went into extra innings and the international tie-breaker rules were implemented with a runner on second.

After Espinosa held the Huskies in the top of the eighth, the Cowgirls had the chance to win. Sophomore Chelsea Garcia started the inning at second base and was advanced by a fielder's choice. She scored the game-winning run as Hamilton hit the ball to left field for her second RBI of the day.

Espinosa threw five innings and didn't allow a hit. She struck out 10 and walked only two as she earned her first victory as a Cowgirl. Gearhart finished the day 4-for-5 with two RBIs and three stolen bases.

Oklahoma State will face Texas State tomorrow at 2:30 and New Mexico at 7:00 during day two of the CenturyLink Classic.