Cowgirls Escape Shockers, 2-1

Tuesday, March 13

Stillwater, Okla.

7:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

Wichita State

March 13, 2012 | Cowgirl Softball

March 13, 2012

Final Stats

Stillwater, Okla. -- Kelsey Anchors scored on an infield single by Julie Ward in the bottom of the eighth inning, and Oklahoma State's Cowgirl softball team escaped with a 2-1, eight-inning victory over Wichita State here Tuesday night at the Cowgirl Softball Complex.

OSU took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Ari Morrison led off with a triple against a drawn-in outfield. Kelsey Anchors hit a fly ball to shallow left field, but the speedy Morrison was able to score easily on the sacrifice fly.

Both teams went scoreless over the next four innings before the Shockers tied the game in the top of the sixth. With one out, Rachel Milnark doubled to left field. After stealing third, she scored on a base hit by Sydney Stuever through the left side.

After a scoreless seventh, the game went to extra innings. Pitcher Kat Espinosa, who entered the circle in the fifth inning, struck out the first two batters and forced Milnark into a pop up to end the frame.

Anchors led off the bottom of the eighth by beating out the throw on a bunt single. A stolen base and a sacrifice bunt by Tamara Brown moved Anchors to third. Ward hit a slow roller, just to the right of the pitching circle. Both Sammie Shook at first base and Layne Greenlee at second charged in, but neither was able to make a play on the ball, allowing Anchors to score.

Sophomore Simone Freeman, who started the game in the circle for OSU, allowed just one hit through four innings while striking out four. Espinosa, who struck out five while allowing two hits and the lone run, got the decision and improved to 7-3 on the season.

The Cowgirls are 6-0 at home this season, including four extra-inning contests.

Oklahoma State (13-9) will travel to Santa Barbara, Calif., this weekend to compete in the Gaucho Classic II, hosted by UC-Santa Barbara. The Cowgirls will face San Jose State and UCSB on Friday afternoon.