Cowgirls Tackle Missouri, New Mexico in Tempe

Saturday, February 10

Tempe, AZ

6 P.M. CT

Oklahoma State University

2-1

Missouri

2-2

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Oklahoma State	1	0	0	2	1	0	2	6	14	1
Missouri	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	3	8	0

February 10, 2018 | Cowgirl Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

PDF Box Score - vs. Missouri
PDF Box Score - vs. New Mexico

TEMPE, Ariz. – The No. 24/21 Oklahoma State softball team earned its second and third wins of the season Saturday, as the Cowgirls knocked off Missouri, 6-3, and New Mexico, 13-1, on day two of the 2018 Kajikawa Classic.

Oklahoma State has now won 28 of its 48 neutral-site invitational games during Kenny Gajewski's tenure as head coach.

"Every win for us is big and we're fighting," Gajewski said. "The one that hurts was our first one yesterday. We just didn't play well in that first game. We didn't play poorly, just didn't play well. We're a good team though. We're not a slouch, so I just think we're still trying to earn respect from teams and I think we're on our way to doing that."

Sydney Pennington proved to be clutch in the first inning during Saturday's opener against Missouri, as she delivered an RBI single into right field, scoring Rylee Bayless from second and putting OSU on top early.

Senior Jessi Haffner also continued to perform Saturday. She launched a two-run home run over the wall in left center to give OSU a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning.

It was Haffner's second home run in as many nights and the sixth of her Oklahoma State career.

Vanessa Shippy supplied the Cowgirls' fourth run against the Tigers by chopping a 2-2 pitch back up the middle, scoring Rylee Bayless from third base. It was a notable hit for the left-handed batter as it marked the 200th of her Oklahoma State career. She is the eighth Cowgirl in program history to record at least 200 career hits.

Shippy also smoked a two-run opposite-field home run in the top of the sixth inning to push OSU's lead out to 6-0. It was her 13th career home run and the Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, native finished Saturday 4-for-6 at the plate.

"This is who she has been in my whole time here (at OSU)," Gajewski said. "She's just consistent and plays with a different level of competitiveness than most other kids. Like I've said before, she's just an all-around great player. This is really the first year that she has gotten off to this kind of start though, so it's kind of neat to see and I'm just happy for her."

Missouri scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh, but Samantha Clakley pitched out of a bases-loaded jam to earn her first win as a Cowgirl. Clakley recorded a complete game against the Tigers, bringing her total to 13 innings pitched so far this weekend.

In the nightcap, Sydney Pennington once again delivered early, as she floated a ball into left center to score Bayless and give OSU the early lead in the first inning. Pennington finished 5-for-8 on the day and has driven in five runs through four games so far this season.

"I thought overall we played really well as a team today," Pennington said. "At the plate, I felt a lot more comfortable though because I kind of got used to it after yesterday's games. I didn't try to hit home runs. I'm just trying to hit line drives right now and I think that's helping me to see the ball better. I just think we had a really good team effort and two good team wins."

Oklahoma State tacked on three more runs in the opening frame thanks to two sacrifice flies and a single through the left side by Whitney Whitehorn. The right-handed hurler also handled starting duties in the circle for OSU against the Lobos. She pitched three innings, surrendering just one run and striking out four, while also going 2-for-2 with an RBI as a batter.

The Cowgirls racked up 10 more runs over the next three innings at the plate en route to a five-inning run-rule win. Taylor Lynch provided two of those runs with a two-run home run to straightaway center in the second inning.

Rylee Bayless starred throughout Saturday's two contests, including going 3-for-3 at the plate and drawing a walk against New Mexico. Bayless combined to go 5-for-6 with two walks over both of Oklahoma State's matchups Saturday.

OSU will take part in its fifth and final game of the 2018 Kajikawa Classic tomorrow morning against Western Michigan. First pitch is set for 10 a.m. CT

To keep up with everything else happening within the Oklahoma State softball program, follow the Cowgirls on Twitter (@CowgirlSB), Facebook (Cowgirl Softball) and Instagram (osusoftball).