Oklahoma State University Athletics
Photo by: OSU Athletics
Cowgirls Rout NOC Enid, 26-0, to Cap Impressive Fall Season
October 26, 2017 | Cowgirl Softball
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Postgame Quotes
STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State softball team concluded its fall season Thursday with a 26-0 shutout victory over Northern Oklahoma Enid at Cowgirl Stadium. OSU finishes the fall with a 6-2 record, which includes a perfect 6-0 mark in games contested at Cowgirl Stadium.
"It was a good fall," head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "This game got a little bit out of control today, but I was happy with the way we played. I'm happy with the way we played all fall. The defense has been really good, our pitching has really improved and the hitting was pretty good, but I think I'm most proud of our newcomers.
"We've put a lot on them to get them up to this pace and the speed of our game, and they've handled it really well."
Oklahoma State burst out of the gates Thursday, scoring eight runs across the first two frames to jump in front of the Lady Jets.
Vanessa Shippy provided the Cowgirls' first two runs against NOC Enid, as she skipped a ball over the shortstop and into left-center field, scoring Maddi Holcomb and Chelsea Alexander. In the second inning, Alexander provided the opening RBI, pushing Holcomb across home plate on a single to third base.
OSU's offensive outpouring continued in the fourth inning when the Cowgirls scored another seven runs to open up a 15-0 lead.
The Cowgirls' offensive showcase again began at the top of the lineup, where Maddi Holcomb reached on a bunt single down the third-base line. Following Holcomb, Alexander recorded another infield single and Shippy walked to load the bases for Jessi Haffner.
Haffner immediately ripped a double down the left-field line to clear the bases to give OSU an 11-0 lead. Three batters later, Sydney Pennington blasted a home run over the right-center field wall - her second of the fall - to cap off the seven-run inning.
"I've struggled a lot here already, but going through that struggle has made me better, I think," Pennington said of her adjustment to collegiate softball. "Coach Gajewski always says "embrace the suck," so I'm trying to find ways to get better at that. It's all about finding ways to bounce back."
In the circle, the OSU pitching staff continued to perform well, with Logan Simunek's four shutout innings leading the way Thursday. Simunek struck out two batters and faced just two over the minimum en route to earning her first win of the fall.
Following Simunek, Whitney Whitehorn pitched three shutout innings of her own before Emmie Roberton came on to record four strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings of work. The final two outs of Thursday's contest came from Vanessa Shippy, who induced a 1-6-3 double play in her first appearance in the circle as a Cowgirl.
While not an official game, Shippy has now competed at all nine field positions during her time at OSU.
"I promised her that if we scored 25 runs, I would let her pitch," Gajewski said. "She pitched pretty well, but what was cool was that after the game she came up and hugged me and said "thank you." It's really cool to have players that care so much."
An impressive showing by the pitching staff, and 10 multi-hit performances from the offense, gives OSU plenty of momentum heading into what Coach Gajewski emphasized as one of the most crucial sections of the Cowgirls' calendars.
"Starting tomorrow, and going up until January 28, it's probably the most important time of the year," Gajewski said of the upcoming winter. "It will define who this team will be. School becomes very important this time of year as well, and that is always an important part of what we're going to do."
Postgame Quotes
STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State softball team concluded its fall season Thursday with a 26-0 shutout victory over Northern Oklahoma Enid at Cowgirl Stadium. OSU finishes the fall with a 6-2 record, which includes a perfect 6-0 mark in games contested at Cowgirl Stadium.
"It was a good fall," head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "This game got a little bit out of control today, but I was happy with the way we played. I'm happy with the way we played all fall. The defense has been really good, our pitching has really improved and the hitting was pretty good, but I think I'm most proud of our newcomers.
"We've put a lot on them to get them up to this pace and the speed of our game, and they've handled it really well."
Oklahoma State burst out of the gates Thursday, scoring eight runs across the first two frames to jump in front of the Lady Jets.
Vanessa Shippy provided the Cowgirls' first two runs against NOC Enid, as she skipped a ball over the shortstop and into left-center field, scoring Maddi Holcomb and Chelsea Alexander. In the second inning, Alexander provided the opening RBI, pushing Holcomb across home plate on a single to third base.
OSU's offensive outpouring continued in the fourth inning when the Cowgirls scored another seven runs to open up a 15-0 lead.
The Cowgirls' offensive showcase again began at the top of the lineup, where Maddi Holcomb reached on a bunt single down the third-base line. Following Holcomb, Alexander recorded another infield single and Shippy walked to load the bases for Jessi Haffner.
Haffner immediately ripped a double down the left-field line to clear the bases to give OSU an 11-0 lead. Three batters later, Sydney Pennington blasted a home run over the right-center field wall - her second of the fall - to cap off the seven-run inning.
"I've struggled a lot here already, but going through that struggle has made me better, I think," Pennington said of her adjustment to collegiate softball. "Coach Gajewski always says "embrace the suck," so I'm trying to find ways to get better at that. It's all about finding ways to bounce back."
In the circle, the OSU pitching staff continued to perform well, with Logan Simunek's four shutout innings leading the way Thursday. Simunek struck out two batters and faced just two over the minimum en route to earning her first win of the fall.
Following Simunek, Whitney Whitehorn pitched three shutout innings of her own before Emmie Roberton came on to record four strikeouts over 2 1/3 innings of work. The final two outs of Thursday's contest came from Vanessa Shippy, who induced a 1-6-3 double play in her first appearance in the circle as a Cowgirl.
While not an official game, Shippy has now competed at all nine field positions during her time at OSU.
"I promised her that if we scored 25 runs, I would let her pitch," Gajewski said. "She pitched pretty well, but what was cool was that after the game she came up and hugged me and said "thank you." It's really cool to have players that care so much."
An impressive showing by the pitching staff, and 10 multi-hit performances from the offense, gives OSU plenty of momentum heading into what Coach Gajewski emphasized as one of the most crucial sections of the Cowgirls' calendars.
"Starting tomorrow, and going up until January 28, it's probably the most important time of the year," Gajewski said of the upcoming winter. "It will define who this team will be. School becomes very important this time of year as well, and that is always an important part of what we're going to do."
Players Mentioned
DP/1B
/ Cowgirl Softball
OF
/ Cowgirl Softball
UTL
/ Cowgirl Softball
RHP
/ Cowgirl Softball
RHP
/ Cowgirl SoftballFriday, June 05
Friday, May 29
Wednesday, May 27
Monday, May 18
