Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirl Softball Storylines Heading into the WCWS
June 02, 2021 | Cowgirl Softball
Team Storylines
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     Before the season, the team watched a movie about mountain climbing and there were "pitches" where climbers would climb a certain part of the mountain at a time. There were situations when the climbers would have to go back down a bit in order to get to the next pitch. The team recognized that as being applicable to softball and the Pitch to Pitch concept was born.Â
     The team created and maintains a hand-drawn board that shows each series as a pitch, with the top point being winning the Women's College World Series. Each player signed the board as a show of commitment to the cause.
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     Show was an All-American and the face of the 2019 OSU team that played in the Women's College World Series. Eberle and Febrey elevated their games and became first-time All-Americans during their debut seasons in Stillwater and are two of the most prominent figures on this year's WCWS team. Busby is just one home run away from matching Show's OSU single-season home run record. Â
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     At that point, the team was ready for a mental break and coach Kenny Gajewski listened. He and his staff organized a short retreat to Broken Bow, a popular getaway location for Oklahomans known for its peaceful nature and beautiful landscape. This was an outside-the-box move for a team preparing for the NCAA tournament. In fact, the team watched the NCAA Selection Show from its Broken Bow location.Â
     Refreshed after its getaway, the Cowgirls were dominant during the NCAA regional round, with two of their three wins coming via run rule. OSU then went on to take down No. 12 national seed Texas to advance to the Women's College World Series.
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     Among the most notable ways the program has modernized is in embracing the current transfer climate. With Samantha Show, Carrie Eberle, Alysen Febrey, Hayley Busby and more, perhaps no team in the country has been more effective in the transfer space the last few years than OSU. Another way Oklahoma State has modernized is by featuring more power in the lineup. Entering the WCWS, four different Cowgirls have hit at least 13 home runs this season and three different Cowgirls have an OPS above 1.100. In the circle, the right-hander Eberle is a true ace who relies less on the strikeout than she does on utilizing the defense behind her. The left-hander Kelly Maxwell is more of a power pitcher who has established herself as an up-and-comer in the Big 12. In short, the Cowgirls can throw different looks at opponents and still be good enough to come out on top.
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Pitch to Pitch
     Pitch to Pitch is the slogan of this year's Oklahoma State softball team and it doesn't mean what one would think.      Before the season, the team watched a movie about mountain climbing and there were "pitches" where climbers would climb a certain part of the mountain at a time. There were situations when the climbers would have to go back down a bit in order to get to the next pitch. The team recognized that as being applicable to softball and the Pitch to Pitch concept was born.Â
     The team created and maintains a hand-drawn board that shows each series as a pitch, with the top point being winning the Women's College World Series. Each player signed the board as a show of commitment to the cause.
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Success with Transfers
     Under coach Kenny Gajewski, Oklahoma State has become a proven destination for Division I transfers to succeed. Among the highest profile to do so are Samantha Show (Texas A&M) and current Cowgirls Carrie Eberle (Virginia Tech), Alysen Febrey (Georgia) and Hayley Busby (Virginia). Each of them were top performers at their previous schools, but truly blossomed in Stillwater.     Show was an All-American and the face of the 2019 OSU team that played in the Women's College World Series. Eberle and Febrey elevated their games and became first-time All-Americans during their debut seasons in Stillwater and are two of the most prominent figures on this year's WCWS team. Busby is just one home run away from matching Show's OSU single-season home run record. Â
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A Breath of Fresh Air was a Key Moment for this Team
     Oklahoma State performed at a high level all season. During one stretch late in the regular season, OSU swept No. 7 Texas in a three-game weekend series in Austin to set up a best-of-three series with Oklahoma with the Big 12 regular season championship at stake. The Cowgirls proved themselves as a top team by smashing four home runs en route to winning game one of the series. Needing just one more victory to take the series and claim the Big 12 title, the Cowgirls fell short. OSU regrouped during the Big 12 Tournament the following week and advanced to the championship game, where they again ran into the Sooners with a trophy on the line. Again, OU won.      At that point, the team was ready for a mental break and coach Kenny Gajewski listened. He and his staff organized a short retreat to Broken Bow, a popular getaway location for Oklahomans known for its peaceful nature and beautiful landscape. This was an outside-the-box move for a team preparing for the NCAA tournament. In fact, the team watched the NCAA Selection Show from its Broken Bow location.Â
     Refreshed after its getaway, the Cowgirls were dominant during the NCAA regional round, with two of their three wins coming via run rule. OSU then went on to take down No. 12 national seed Texas to advance to the Women's College World Series.
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A Tradition-Rich Program that Thrives in the Modern Game
     With 12 appearances in the Women's College World Series, Oklahoma State has a formidable history, but what the program has done under coach Kenny Gajewski is embrace that history and tradition while still modernizing to succeed in the current softball landscape. The on-field proof lies in OSU's back-to-back Women's College World Series appearances in 2019 and 2021 (the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID) and also the Cowgirls ascent up the Big 12 standings. OSU has finished second in the Big 12 each of the past three seasons.      Among the most notable ways the program has modernized is in embracing the current transfer climate. With Samantha Show, Carrie Eberle, Alysen Febrey, Hayley Busby and more, perhaps no team in the country has been more effective in the transfer space the last few years than OSU. Another way Oklahoma State has modernized is by featuring more power in the lineup. Entering the WCWS, four different Cowgirls have hit at least 13 home runs this season and three different Cowgirls have an OPS above 1.100. In the circle, the right-hander Eberle is a true ace who relies less on the strikeout than she does on utilizing the defense behind her. The left-hander Kelly Maxwell is more of a power pitcher who has established herself as an up-and-comer in the Big 12. In short, the Cowgirls can throw different looks at opponents and still be good enough to come out on top.
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Players Mentioned
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