Cowgirl Softball Topples No. 9 Washington, 8-4

Friday, February 26

Palm Springs, CA

7:30 PM

Oklahoma State University

5-7

Washington

9-3

Washington

Oklahoma State

February 27, 2016 | Cowgirl Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

The Oklahoma State softball team reeled off its first win over a top-10 team since 2013 on Friday, as the Cowgirls took down ninth-ranked Washington, 8-4, at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic in Palm Springs, Calif.

The last time Oklahoma State defeated a top-10 team was three seasons ago, when the Cowgirls upset No. 6 Texas, 2-1.

After upsetting the Huskies, OSU dropped a hard-fought 4-2 decision to Cal State-Fullerton, putting the Cowgirls at 1-2 at the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic. Oklahoma State will resume play at the tournament on Saturday, as they battle second-ranked Michigan at 7 p.m. CT.

Game One – Oklahoma State 8, No. 9 Washington 4
Cowgirl junior Shea Coats was tasked with facing the ninth-ranked Huskies, and she lived up to the challenge despite having only three relief appearances to her name this season. After allowing a run in the second, Coats was outstanding in her first four innings in the circle. The junior held the Washington offense to four runs on seven hits, and was aided by a strong OSU offense early in the contest.

"It was an exciting day, and we got off to a great start," head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "It's great that we get a chance to play teams like this. We just came out and swung the bats well, and we were able to score some runs."

"I thought that Shea Coats was really good in her first start. She really set the tone for us tonight."

Oklahoma State responded to Washington's run in the second with a three-spot in the bottom of the frame. With two outs, Randee O'Donnell scored on a passed ball, and Taylor Lynch delivered a two-run single down the leftfield line, scoring Vanessa Shippy and Miranda Cavin.

An inning later, Tiffany Mikkelson lined a one-out double to right, giving her the first of what would ultimately result in a pair of clutch, timely hits. In the next at-bat, Darcy Taylor hit a one-out chopper that glanced off the pitcher's glove and rolled into the outfield, allowing Mikkelson to score.

The Cowgirl offense wasn't done in the third though, as Cavin followed up Taylor's RBI single with a run-scoring triple down the line in right. Oklahoma State's two-out outburst over the second and third innings concluded with the Cowgirls holding a 5-1 lead going into the fourth.

Coats eventually fell into trouble in the fifth, as Washington was able to put runners on second and third with two outs. After working the count to 2-2, UW's Ali Aguilar hit a towering home run to center, scoring three and bringing the Huskies within a run.

The three-run shot ended the night for Coats, leaving Kacy Freeze responsible for closing out the final 2.1 innings. The senior didn't disappoint, as she would register three strikeouts and keep the Washington offense hitless for the remainder of the contest.

With a 5-4 lead in the sixth, the Cowgirls produced a trio of insurance runs thanks to more two-out heroics. This time, they came from Mikkelson, as she blasted a three-run homer over the wall in right, giving Oklahoma State a commanding 8-4 advantage. On the night, the Cowgirls went 3-for-9 at the plate and produced six runs in two-out situations.

In the seventh, Washington was able to put their leadoff batter on base after Shippy mishandled a soft ground ball to second. However, Freeze locked in and put the next three UW batters down in order, sealing the upset victory for the Cowgirls.

The Oklahoma State offense was highlighted by multi-RBI efforts from Lynch (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) and Mikkelson (2-for-4, HR, 3 RBIs), who moved within five home runs of tying the OSU career record with her three-run blast in the sixth.

Coats was awarded with the victory, marking her first in a Cowgirl uniform, while Freeze was given the save after taking over for Coats with the tying run at the plate in the fifth.

Game Two – Cal State-Fullerton 4, Oklahoma State 2
Oklahoma State went into the second half of Friday's doubleheader on an emotional high, but were struck with two first-inning runs from a gritty Cal State-Fullerton lineup. Sarah Moore delivered an RBI single, and Melissa Sechrest produced a run-scoring groundout to put the Titans ahead, 2-0, after one.

The Cowgirls' faced a tough arm in Cal State-Fullerton's Desiree Ybarra, but were able to put up run-producing efforts in both the second and third innings. Mikkelson led off the second with a double down the left field line, and was brought home on O'Donnell's double two at-bats later.

After seeing the Titans manage a run in the top of the third, the Cowgirls responded with a sacrifice fly from Red Reasnor, cutting the deficit to 3-2.

However, Ybarra kept the Oklahoma State offense in check, and Cal State-Fullerton added an insurance run in the fifth to keep the Cowgirls at bay until the seventh.

"I think that first game tonight took a little energy out of us," Gajewski said. "That's the tough part of building a program, and you've got to take little steps forward and try to avoid the steps back."

In the final frame, OSU was able to mount a late rally, beginning with a one-out double from Cavin. After Shippy flied out to left, Dre McKee and Michaela Patton were then both hit by pitches, loading the bases with two outs. Madi Sue Montgomery hit the first pitch of her at-bat into foul territory down the left field line, and CSF leftfielder Samantha Vandiver made a diving catch to seal the win.

Freeze came on for Needham in top of the fifth and provided her second scoreless outing of the day, with both of her appearances resulting in 4.2 innings of scoreless relief. Needham moved to 2-5 on the season with the loss, one in which only three of Cal State-Fullerton's runs were earned.