Cowgirl Softball Walks-Off No. 13 Kentucky

Sunday, February 10

Houston, TX

9 a.m. CT

Oklahoma State University

4-1

Kentucky

2-3

Kentucky

Oklahoma State

February 10, 2019 | Cowgirl Softball

Box Score

PDF Box Score - Kentucky
Overall Season Stats

HOUSTON, Texas – The No. 22 Oklahoma State softball team scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to earn a walk-off victory over No. 13 Kentucky, 8-7, Sunday at the Houston Invitational.

Junior Sydney Springfield provided the game clincher, as she lasered a two-run home run over the left-field wall to secure OSU's 10th win over a ranked opponent during coach Kenny Gajewski's four-year tenure.

"I went up to bat and knew that I had to do that for the team," Springfield said of her walk-off effort. "I gave up a run that I take responsibility for and I just knew I had to do that. I just saw the pitch and hit it. Nothing else went through my mind.

"This was such a great win and I'm so happy to be a part of this team and I think we can really build off of this weekend."

Springfield also played a part in keeping the Cowgirls close to the Wildcats in Sunday's contest, hitting a two-run, opposite-field home run in the bottom of the sixth to make it a 6-4 game at the time.

Springfield's home runs were half of a quartet of OSU deep flies Sunday, as freshman Kiley Naomi lined her first collegiate home run over the left-field wall in the bottom of the fifth and Rylee Bayless jacked a two-run shot to open Oklahoma State's seventh-inning rally.

"Just an exciting day for us. I thought that our at-bats were strong and the competitiveness that our kids had all day was awesome," Gajewski said. "The one thing we do have is some competitive kids and their at-bats just continue to get better each day. That was an awesome game against a really, really quality team and coaching staff that we have a lot of respect for."

All eight of Oklahoma State's runs Sunday came during the final four innings of the contest and after the Cowgirls found themselves in a 5-0 hole.

Kentucky took its lead thanks to a pair of two-out home runs in the third and fourth innings and tacked on insurance runs in both the sixth and seventh inning. It wasn't enough to protect the Wildcats' lead though, as Springfield's walk-off home run marked the first lead change since the third inning and was the only time OSU led in Sunday's contest.

OSU finishes its first weekend of the 2019 campaign with a 4-1 record. It is the 11th time in the last 13 seasons that the Cowgirls have finished with a .500-or-above record in their first invitational tournament of the season, dating back to 2007.

"I'm looking forward to going back home for one practice day this week, coaching our kids up and showing them what they did well and what we can improve on," Gajewski said. "I think these kids will continue to buy in and it was a really good day out here."

The Cowgirls have a quick turnaround to get ready for week two, as they head to the inaugural St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational in Clearwater, Florida, next week. OSU will open up the tournament on Thursday, Feb. 14, against No. 11 LSU before facing Notre Dame, Utah, California and Hofstra on Friday and Saturday.

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Oklahoma State is proud to celebrate more than 40 years of rich softball tradition and its 20th season of play at Cowgirl Stadium this year. To renew or purchase your season tickets for the 2019 campaign, visit okstate.com/tickets or call the OSU ticket office at 877-ALL-4-OSU.