Oklahoma State University Athletics
Bases Loaded: Cowgirls Perfect on Opening Weekend at Home
March 04, 2019 | Cowgirl Softball
STILLWATER – The Oklahoma State softball team swept its first home weekend for the second consecutive year this past week, earning four wins from four during the OSU/Tulsa Invitational.
The Cowgirls (14-5; 0-0 Big 12) are off to their best 19-game start since 2011, when the Pokes posted the same record through 19 games before making OSU's seventh Women's College World Series appearance at the season's end. We take a look back at some of the top talking points comings out of Stillwater from the weekend that was:
First Base: Oklahoma State's New X-Factor?
Freshman Chyenne Factor didn't have any inkling that her name would be in the starting lineup for the Cowgirls' home opener Friday afternoon against Syracuse.
She walked into the dugout, looked down the posted lineup and found herself as Oklahoma State's starting right fielder, marking the second time she would be in the starting lineup during her young Cowgirl career. Factor then went through the next steps of her game preparation with the same calm and cool composure that is uncommon in players her age.
The Yukon, Oklahoma, native didn't let her opportunity slip, either. She erupted for six hits in eight at-bats over the weekend, scoring five times, walking three, and totaling 12 bases thanks to three doubles and her first career home run. Her best outing came against McNeese State on Saturday, when she went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and hit a solo shot to left field in OSU's 12-2 run-rule win.
Factor started three times last weekend and batted in the cleanup spot during the finale of the OSU/Tulsa Invitational. At the tournament's end, she ranked as the Big 12's weekly leader in batting average (.750), on-base percentage (.813) and slugging percentage (1.500).
Throughout her dynamic displays, Factor's heartbeat barely seemed to get above its resting rate.
Coach Kenny Gajewski has often praised the young outfielder for her ability to remain unfazed by obstacles and struggles, and Factor's approach paid off during her first competitive weekend at Cowgirl Stadium.
More opportunities and tougher tasks lie ahead for Factor and the Cowgirls, but if 'Sheen' can continue to produce the way she did this past weekend, it will make Oklahoma State a tough out for anyone in the weeks, and years, ahead.
Second Base: Sue as Steady as Ever
Madi Sue Montgomery is the rock at the heart of Oklahoma State's lineup. That has been the case for three-plus years now, and will likely be so as the season continues.
This past weekend, she reached statistical proof of just how important she has been to the Cowgirls during her time in Stillwater as she became just the 18th player in school history to start in at least 200 games.
Montgomery, now sitting at 201 career starts, has never missed a game during her OSU career, despite battling through nagging injuries and overcoming severe ones, such as a torn ACL during the fall of her sophomore year.
The senior's presence in the heart of the lineup helps ease any tension the coaching staff might have about filling out their nine for any given day. This past weekend, she continued those efforts by racking up six hits in 10 at-bats, driving in a team-high eight runs and notching four extra-base hits.
Three of those extra-base hits were doubles, with the fourth being the 29th home run of her career, bringing her to within six of tying Tiffany Mikkelson's Cowgirl career record.
Montgomery's outstanding play and her ability to stay on the field have created a perfect storm for the Cowgirl senior to chase down some impressive records this year. She has the home run record in sight, has already set the program's new career RBI mark, and will have plenty of other chances to cement her legacy in the 30-plus games remaining or OSU in 2019.
Third Base: Frozen, But Firing
Temperatures were frigid, freezing and any other cold-related adjective you can think of this past weekend in Stillwater. With the wind chill hovering right around the 32-degree mark all week, the OSU/Tulsa Invitational, and Oklahoma State's first weekend in Stillwater, looked to be in doubt.
That wasn't going to bother the Cowgirls one bit, however.
After some reshuffling of the schedule, and cancelled games on Thursday, OSU opened up its 20th season of play at Cowgirl Stadium in run-rule fashion Friday, blanking Syracuse, 8-0, in five innings. It was a fittingly-fast start for the Pokes, who needed just 100 minutes to dispatch the Orange.
Oklahoma State's pitching staff has been a well-oiled machine throughout most of the first month of the season, but the bats had been lagging behind just a touch. At key moments, OSU had been struggling to piece together that would start the offensive avalanche.
Those hits didn't stop coming this weekend though, as OSU racked up 35 runs across four games this past weekend.
Twenty-four of those runs were scored in a Saturday doubleheader, marking the most runs scored by a Cowgirl squad in back-to-back games since OSU posted 35 runs against Maine and Omaha in last year's Mizuno Classic. The Cowgirls also scored at least two runs in each of their first seven trips to the plate Saturday, with their streak being snapped by a scoreless fourth inning in the second half of the doubleheader.
In freezing temperatures, Oklahoma State's bats were on fire. It was a pleasant sight for all of the loyal and true in attendance this weekend, and one that the Cowgirls hope to build on in the coming weeks.
Home Plate: Business To Take Care Of
The Cowgirls' weekend at home was a welcome refresher for the coaches and players after three grueling weeks of travel, competition and classwork. There is, as they say, no rest for the weary, however, as two more tough opponents await Oklahoma State this week.
OSU first plays host to Wichita State Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. before taking off to face Oregon in a three-game set at Jane Sanders Stadium beginning Friday.
Travel can be wicked for student-athletes, with missed time in classes, inability to get proper rest and so forth, but Oklahoma State has managed these obstacles well, getting off to the program's best 19-game start since 2011.
This week's schedule brings forth a familiar opponent in Wichita State and the Pokes' first-ever trip to Eugene the following day. OSU and Oregon have clashed 18 times before, but this coming weekend will be the first non-neutral-site meeting between the two historic programs.
All in all, week five looks to be yet another tough test for the Cowgirls, and one that they will certainly face head-on as the season continues to unfold
The Cowgirls (14-5; 0-0 Big 12) are off to their best 19-game start since 2011, when the Pokes posted the same record through 19 games before making OSU's seventh Women's College World Series appearance at the season's end. We take a look back at some of the top talking points comings out of Stillwater from the weekend that was:
First Base: Oklahoma State's New X-Factor?
Freshman Chyenne Factor didn't have any inkling that her name would be in the starting lineup for the Cowgirls' home opener Friday afternoon against Syracuse.
She walked into the dugout, looked down the posted lineup and found herself as Oklahoma State's starting right fielder, marking the second time she would be in the starting lineup during her young Cowgirl career. Factor then went through the next steps of her game preparation with the same calm and cool composure that is uncommon in players her age.
The Yukon, Oklahoma, native didn't let her opportunity slip, either. She erupted for six hits in eight at-bats over the weekend, scoring five times, walking three, and totaling 12 bases thanks to three doubles and her first career home run. Her best outing came against McNeese State on Saturday, when she went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and hit a solo shot to left field in OSU's 12-2 run-rule win.
Factor started three times last weekend and batted in the cleanup spot during the finale of the OSU/Tulsa Invitational. At the tournament's end, she ranked as the Big 12's weekly leader in batting average (.750), on-base percentage (.813) and slugging percentage (1.500).
Throughout her dynamic displays, Factor's heartbeat barely seemed to get above its resting rate.
Coach Kenny Gajewski has often praised the young outfielder for her ability to remain unfazed by obstacles and struggles, and Factor's approach paid off during her first competitive weekend at Cowgirl Stadium.
More opportunities and tougher tasks lie ahead for Factor and the Cowgirls, but if 'Sheen' can continue to produce the way she did this past weekend, it will make Oklahoma State a tough out for anyone in the weeks, and years, ahead.
Second Base: Sue as Steady as Ever
Madi Sue Montgomery is the rock at the heart of Oklahoma State's lineup. That has been the case for three-plus years now, and will likely be so as the season continues.
This past weekend, she reached statistical proof of just how important she has been to the Cowgirls during her time in Stillwater as she became just the 18th player in school history to start in at least 200 games.
Montgomery, now sitting at 201 career starts, has never missed a game during her OSU career, despite battling through nagging injuries and overcoming severe ones, such as a torn ACL during the fall of her sophomore year.
The senior's presence in the heart of the lineup helps ease any tension the coaching staff might have about filling out their nine for any given day. This past weekend, she continued those efforts by racking up six hits in 10 at-bats, driving in a team-high eight runs and notching four extra-base hits.
Three of those extra-base hits were doubles, with the fourth being the 29th home run of her career, bringing her to within six of tying Tiffany Mikkelson's Cowgirl career record.
Montgomery's outstanding play and her ability to stay on the field have created a perfect storm for the Cowgirl senior to chase down some impressive records this year. She has the home run record in sight, has already set the program's new career RBI mark, and will have plenty of other chances to cement her legacy in the 30-plus games remaining or OSU in 2019.
Third Base: Frozen, But Firing
Temperatures were frigid, freezing and any other cold-related adjective you can think of this past weekend in Stillwater. With the wind chill hovering right around the 32-degree mark all week, the OSU/Tulsa Invitational, and Oklahoma State's first weekend in Stillwater, looked to be in doubt.
That wasn't going to bother the Cowgirls one bit, however.
After some reshuffling of the schedule, and cancelled games on Thursday, OSU opened up its 20th season of play at Cowgirl Stadium in run-rule fashion Friday, blanking Syracuse, 8-0, in five innings. It was a fittingly-fast start for the Pokes, who needed just 100 minutes to dispatch the Orange.
Oklahoma State's pitching staff has been a well-oiled machine throughout most of the first month of the season, but the bats had been lagging behind just a touch. At key moments, OSU had been struggling to piece together that would start the offensive avalanche.
Those hits didn't stop coming this weekend though, as OSU racked up 35 runs across four games this past weekend.
Twenty-four of those runs were scored in a Saturday doubleheader, marking the most runs scored by a Cowgirl squad in back-to-back games since OSU posted 35 runs against Maine and Omaha in last year's Mizuno Classic. The Cowgirls also scored at least two runs in each of their first seven trips to the plate Saturday, with their streak being snapped by a scoreless fourth inning in the second half of the doubleheader.
In freezing temperatures, Oklahoma State's bats were on fire. It was a pleasant sight for all of the loyal and true in attendance this weekend, and one that the Cowgirls hope to build on in the coming weeks.
Home Plate: Business To Take Care Of
The Cowgirls' weekend at home was a welcome refresher for the coaches and players after three grueling weeks of travel, competition and classwork. There is, as they say, no rest for the weary, however, as two more tough opponents await Oklahoma State this week.
OSU first plays host to Wichita State Wednesday evening at 5 p.m. before taking off to face Oregon in a three-game set at Jane Sanders Stadium beginning Friday.
Travel can be wicked for student-athletes, with missed time in classes, inability to get proper rest and so forth, but Oklahoma State has managed these obstacles well, getting off to the program's best 19-game start since 2011.
This week's schedule brings forth a familiar opponent in Wichita State and the Pokes' first-ever trip to Eugene the following day. OSU and Oregon have clashed 18 times before, but this coming weekend will be the first non-neutral-site meeting between the two historic programs.
All in all, week five looks to be yet another tough test for the Cowgirls, and one that they will certainly face head-on as the season continues to unfold
Players Mentioned
3B
/ Cowgirl SoftballFriday, June 05
Friday, May 29
Wednesday, May 27
Monday, May 18
