Oklahoma State University Athletics
2016 Cowgirl Softball Position Previews: Middle Infield
February 08, 2016 | Cowgirl Softball
STILLWATER - The middle infield portion of the 2016 Cowgirl softball squad may be short on experience, but it boasts a pair of sophomores each coming off stellar opening seasons worthy of two Big 12 All-Freshman Team selections.
The double play tandem of second baseman Vanessa Shippy and shortstop Randee O'Donnell is primed to play a critical role for the Cowgirls for the next three seasons. Both Cowgirls came into their own as freshmen and have the chance to be one of the conference's most electric forces up the middle.
After earning the National Gatorade Player of the Year honor in high school, Shippy lived up to the hype with a stellar freshman campaign. The Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, native was one of only two Cowgirls to start in all 52 games in 2015, finishing with a .306 mark at the plate and a .432 on-base percentage.
"She can slap, she can stand in and hit, she can hit for power, she can bunt, she can run and she is going to anchor us down in the middle of the field," head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "I'm always a fan of having someone in the leadoff spot who can do multiple things. She just loves to play softball, and she shows that each day."
Shippy posted impressive totals in numerous offensive categories, including RBIs (28), walks (30), stolen bases (16) and doubles (12), a mark that tied for the second in the conference last season. She followed that up with an offensive show last fall, finishing with a .565 batting average while reaching base in more than 70 percent of her at-bats.
Manning the other end of the middle infield is a O'Donnell, who joined the Cowgirls last season after a standout career at Tahlequah High School in Tahlequah, Okla. After coming out to a slow start in 2015, O'Donnell became one of Oklahoma State's most valuable offensive pieces in conference play, posting a .333 mark at the plate against Big 12 competition.
O'Donnell's breakthrough during her freshman campaign began in the Cowgirls' conference series at Iowa State, as she posted five hits in three games against the Cyclones, helping OSU take two out of three on the road. Between April 3 and April 16, she produced five multi-hit efforts, raising her batting average by more than .100 in an eight-game span.
"Randee O'Donnell is a big-time shortstop, and she has improved even more from last year," Gajewski said. "She's stronger, she's quicker, she's making more routine plays and she has an incredible arm. What might set her apart in time is that she's finding out that she can really hit, and that's coming."
An important aspect of Gajewski's regime comes via the defensive end of the ball, where Shippy and O'Donnell have both excelled and made improvements since entering the collegiate ranks.
"During our first practice here, I didn't want us to hit or anything like that, I just wanted to see us field ground balls," Gajewski said. "In the first 15 minutes of that first day, I turned to my staff and told them that I knew we'd be great in the middle infield."
Shippy, O'Donnell and the rest of the Cowgirls will be on full display this weekend when they open the season at the CenturyLink Classic in San Marcos, Texas. The final edition of position previews will come later this week as we highlight the Oklahoma State outfield.
Season tickets for the 2016 Cowgirl softball season are now available, starting at $50 for general admission seating and $75 for seats in the reserved lower level. Tickets can be purchased by phone at (877) 255-4678, at the OSU Athletics Ticket office on the NE corner of Gallagher-Iba Arena or online at: https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/okstate/EN/buy/details/SB16.
The double play tandem of second baseman Vanessa Shippy and shortstop Randee O'Donnell is primed to play a critical role for the Cowgirls for the next three seasons. Both Cowgirls came into their own as freshmen and have the chance to be one of the conference's most electric forces up the middle.
After earning the National Gatorade Player of the Year honor in high school, Shippy lived up to the hype with a stellar freshman campaign. The Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, native was one of only two Cowgirls to start in all 52 games in 2015, finishing with a .306 mark at the plate and a .432 on-base percentage.
"She can slap, she can stand in and hit, she can hit for power, she can bunt, she can run and she is going to anchor us down in the middle of the field," head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "I'm always a fan of having someone in the leadoff spot who can do multiple things. She just loves to play softball, and she shows that each day."
Shippy posted impressive totals in numerous offensive categories, including RBIs (28), walks (30), stolen bases (16) and doubles (12), a mark that tied for the second in the conference last season. She followed that up with an offensive show last fall, finishing with a .565 batting average while reaching base in more than 70 percent of her at-bats.
Manning the other end of the middle infield is a O'Donnell, who joined the Cowgirls last season after a standout career at Tahlequah High School in Tahlequah, Okla. After coming out to a slow start in 2015, O'Donnell became one of Oklahoma State's most valuable offensive pieces in conference play, posting a .333 mark at the plate against Big 12 competition.
O'Donnell's breakthrough during her freshman campaign began in the Cowgirls' conference series at Iowa State, as she posted five hits in three games against the Cyclones, helping OSU take two out of three on the road. Between April 3 and April 16, she produced five multi-hit efforts, raising her batting average by more than .100 in an eight-game span.
"Randee O'Donnell is a big-time shortstop, and she has improved even more from last year," Gajewski said. "She's stronger, she's quicker, she's making more routine plays and she has an incredible arm. What might set her apart in time is that she's finding out that she can really hit, and that's coming."
An important aspect of Gajewski's regime comes via the defensive end of the ball, where Shippy and O'Donnell have both excelled and made improvements since entering the collegiate ranks.
"During our first practice here, I didn't want us to hit or anything like that, I just wanted to see us field ground balls," Gajewski said. "In the first 15 minutes of that first day, I turned to my staff and told them that I knew we'd be great in the middle infield."
Shippy, O'Donnell and the rest of the Cowgirls will be on full display this weekend when they open the season at the CenturyLink Classic in San Marcos, Texas. The final edition of position previews will come later this week as we highlight the Oklahoma State outfield.
Season tickets for the 2016 Cowgirl softball season are now available, starting at $50 for general admission seating and $75 for seats in the reserved lower level. Tickets can be purchased by phone at (877) 255-4678, at the OSU Athletics Ticket office on the NE corner of Gallagher-Iba Arena or online at: https://oss.ticketmaster.com/aps/okstate/EN/buy/details/SB16.
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