Cowgirl Softball Splits Pair Of Games In South Florida

Friday, February 17

Clearwater, FL

12:30 AM CT

Oklahoma State University

3-3

James Madison

4-1

OKLAHOMA STATE

James Madison

Photo by: Stephen Lew

February 17, 2017 | Cowgirl Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

CLEARWATER, Fla. --- Oklahoma State Softball split a pair of games Friday with No. 14 James Madison and Hofstra to start the Michele Smith Invitational. The Cowgirls dropped the opening game to the Dukes, 5-2, before responding with a 2-1 win over the Pride in the second game.

Sophomore Madi Sue Montgomery was the difference maker in the second game. Montgomery blasted a two-RBI double in the bottom of the third to give Oklahoma State a 2-0 lead it wouldn't give up.

"I just told our team, last year to play as poorly as we did today we wouldn't have won that second game," head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "A really nice job by Logan again. She's been a pleasant surprise. Throwing well and competing. Just having a blast. Not phased by anything in the moment."

In the second game of the day, the Cowgirls once again showed they could win with pitching. Freshman Logan Simunek (2-0) came out of the bullpen in relief for sophomore Whitney Whitehorn and went 3.1 innings without a run on her way to earning the win.

In total, Hofstra left eight runners on base and went just 3-for-15 with runners on base. The Pride had two bases loaded opportunities, but came away scoreless both times.

Montgomery led the way at the plate for the Cowgirls 1-for-3 with two RBIs.

"I'm just trying to get a hit and get a clutch hit," Montgomery said. "They did their job first getting on base. I was just trying to do my job and getting them in."

In the first game of the day, Oklahoma State (4-3) ran into one of the best pitchers in the nation for James Madison. The Dukes got on the board first in the bottom of the second to take an early 1-0 lead before eventually extending it to 5-0 after five.

The Cowgirls didn't go down without a fight, as sophomore Taylor Lynch delivered with a one-out, RBI single to score junior Vanessa Shippy. Two batters later, Montgoemry came through with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 5-2. The two runs scored were the first two runs Meagan Good had allowed in 20 innings of work this year.

Lynch led the way offensively for the Cowgirls going 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Senior Brandi Needham (2-1) took the loss for Oklahoma State.

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Up Next: The Cowgirls return to action Saturday for two more games. OSU will take on Saint Joseph's at 12:30 pm before taking on tournament host South Florida at 5:15 p.m. Fans can follow the action on Twitter (@CowgirlSB), with live stats on okstate.com.