Oklahoma State University Athletics
Saturday, February 27
Palm Springs, CA
7:00 PM
Oklahoma State University
5-9
2
vs
11
Michigan
10-1
1
2
3
4
5
R
H
E
Oklahoma State
0
0
0
0
2
2
4
0
Michigan
9
0
0
2
X
11
10
0
Cowgirl Softball Stumbles Against No. 2 Michigan
February 27, 2016 | Cowgirl Softball
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. – The Oklahoma State softball team took on second-ranked Michigan at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Saturday, but was unable to formulate its second upset of a top-10 team on the weekend, as the Cowgirls were defeated, 11-2, in five innings.
Oklahoma State fell victim to nine Michigan runs in the top of the first, leaving the Cowgirls with an insurmountable deficit against one of the best teams in the country.
"We just ran into the No. 2 team in the country, and they're there for a reason," head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "When you give up nine runs in the first inning, it's going to be hard to bounce back. I challenged our team after that first inning though, and I told them to go about this from here on out like it's a 0-0 game. I thought the bats improved, and Shea Coats really jumped in there and stabilized us."
Kacy Freeze represented the Cowgirls in the circle after tossing 4.2 innings of scoreless relief against Cal State-Fullerton and Washington on Friday. The senior struggled against the Wolverines, who put up six base-hits and nine runs in the opening frame. Freeze's day came to an end with two outs in the top of the first.
After earning a victory over ninth-ranked Washington in her first start with OSU on Friday, Shea Coats came on to replace Freeze and delivered a strong 3.1 innings in relief. The junior kept Michigan scoreless until the fourth after the Wolverines' offensive outburst to start the contest.
"That's two good outings in two-straight games against good teams for Shea," Gajewski said. "That's a highlight there, and our defense was better tonight. I thought we showed fight there at the end when we were able to scratch out two runs. We'll go back out tomorrow against a good Oregon team, and we'll see where we can finish up here."
Tough competition typically results in tough pitching matchups, as the Cowgirls were tasked with facing Michigan's Sara Driesenga, who came into Saturday's game with a perfect 6-0 record and a 2.72 ERA. The two-time All-Big Ten selection didn't allow a hit until the top of the third, when Vanessa Shippy and Maddi Holcomb produced infield singles for two of Oklahoma State's four base-hits on the day.
Oklahoma State was able to manage a pair of runs against Driesenga with a late rally in the top of the fifth. Pinch hitter Dre McKee opened the inning with a single to right, and Berkley Faulkner followed with a HBP to put runners on first and second with no outs. After a groundout from Holcomb, Shippy delivered an RBI single to right, helping her push her batting average to a season-high .311.
Jessi Haffner kept the rally going with a sacrifice fly to center, but Driesenga retired the next two OSU batters to clinch Michigan's run-rule victory.
Oklahoma State will finish up play at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Sunday, as they take on No. 7 Oregon at 11 a.m. CT.
Oklahoma State fell victim to nine Michigan runs in the top of the first, leaving the Cowgirls with an insurmountable deficit against one of the best teams in the country.
"We just ran into the No. 2 team in the country, and they're there for a reason," head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "When you give up nine runs in the first inning, it's going to be hard to bounce back. I challenged our team after that first inning though, and I told them to go about this from here on out like it's a 0-0 game. I thought the bats improved, and Shea Coats really jumped in there and stabilized us."
Kacy Freeze represented the Cowgirls in the circle after tossing 4.2 innings of scoreless relief against Cal State-Fullerton and Washington on Friday. The senior struggled against the Wolverines, who put up six base-hits and nine runs in the opening frame. Freeze's day came to an end with two outs in the top of the first.
After earning a victory over ninth-ranked Washington in her first start with OSU on Friday, Shea Coats came on to replace Freeze and delivered a strong 3.1 innings in relief. The junior kept Michigan scoreless until the fourth after the Wolverines' offensive outburst to start the contest.
"That's two good outings in two-straight games against good teams for Shea," Gajewski said. "That's a highlight there, and our defense was better tonight. I thought we showed fight there at the end when we were able to scratch out two runs. We'll go back out tomorrow against a good Oregon team, and we'll see where we can finish up here."
Tough competition typically results in tough pitching matchups, as the Cowgirls were tasked with facing Michigan's Sara Driesenga, who came into Saturday's game with a perfect 6-0 record and a 2.72 ERA. The two-time All-Big Ten selection didn't allow a hit until the top of the third, when Vanessa Shippy and Maddi Holcomb produced infield singles for two of Oklahoma State's four base-hits on the day.
Oklahoma State was able to manage a pair of runs against Driesenga with a late rally in the top of the fifth. Pinch hitter Dre McKee opened the inning with a single to right, and Berkley Faulkner followed with a HBP to put runners on first and second with no outs. After a groundout from Holcomb, Shippy delivered an RBI single to right, helping her push her batting average to a season-high .311.
Jessi Haffner kept the rally going with a sacrifice fly to center, but Driesenga retired the next two OSU batters to clinch Michigan's run-rule victory.
Oklahoma State will finish up play at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic on Sunday, as they take on No. 7 Oregon at 11 a.m. CT.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Driesenga, Sara (7-0)
L: Freeze, Kacy (2-4)
Batting:
RBI: Shippy, Vanessa 1 ; Haffner, Jessi 1
SF: Haffner, Jessi 1
Base Running:
RUNS: McKee, Dre 1 ; Faulkner, Berkley 1
HBP: Faulkner, Berkley 1
Batting:
2B: Romero, Sierra 1
HR: Vargas, Amanda 1
RBI: Lawrence, Sierra 1 ; Romero, Sierra 3 ; Susalla, Kelsey 1 ; Blanco, Tera 2 ; Falk, Aidan 1 ; Vargas, Amanda 2 ; Sobczak, Alex 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Lawrence, Sierra 2 ; Ramirez, Abby 2 ; Romero, Sierra 1 ; Susalla, Kelsey 1 ; Peters, Natalie 1 ; Blanco, Tera 1 ; Falk, Aidan 1 ; Vargas, Amanda 1 ; Canfield, Faith 1
HBP: Susalla, Kelsey 1
Game Leaders
AB
3
R
0
H
2
RBI
1
AB
2
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
AB
1
R
0
H
0
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
P
/ Cowgirl Softball
LHP
/ Cowgirl Softball
RHP/1B
/ Cowgirl SoftballOF
/ Cowgirl SoftballIF
/ Cowgirl SoftballCowboy Football Postgame News Conference - Oklahoma State vs. Houston (10-11-2025)
Sunday, October 12
we may have broken a world record for largest shirtless section... #okstate #cfb #collegefootball
Saturday, October 11
SHIRTLESS SECTION 231: From one fan to a full shirtless section
Saturday, October 11
Inside Oklahoma State Athletics: Houston Game Preview with Doug Meacham
Thursday, October 09
