Oklahoma State University Athletics
2022 Oklahoma State Softball Position Preview - Infield
January 03, 2022 | Cowgirl Softball
A third consecutive trip to the Women's College World Series seems attainable for Oklahoma State in 2022. As the countdown to the season continues, check back in regularly at okstate.com for a breakdown of the Cowgirls' roster by position group. A look at the infield:
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Third baseman Sydney Pennington and shortstop Kiley Naomi form one of the best left sides of the infield in the country. Opposite of them, freshman Brianna Evans and junior Karli Petty are both viable options at second base while Kansas transfer Morgyn Wynne is favored to get the nod at first base.
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A returning All-American and Oklahoma State's all-time home run leader, Pennington was a key cog in Oklahoma State's back-to-back WCWS appearances. She has started 192 consecutive games since 2018 and ranks in the top 25 on the OSU career lists for hits, runs scored, runs batted in, doubles, times hit by pitch and sacrifice flies. A consistent producer at the plate and a standout defender in the field, Pennington has earned a spot among the top third basemen in America.
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To her left, an All-American level performer ÂÂin Naomi at shortstop for the Cowgirls. Simply by watching her play, one would be hard pressed to find an element of the game in which she doesn't excel. Her numbers, especially those from the 2021 season, confirm her do-it-all nature. Naomi's .578 career slugging percentage places her atop the all-time list for OSU shortstops. Her 59 runs scored in 2021 ranks second on the OSU single-season list. Naomi is as reliable as they come with a career .311 batting average and a .417 career on base percentage. She was honored with first team All-Big 12 and third team all-region awards in 2021, but Naomi has bigger aspirations moving forward, for herself and her team.
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Junior Karli Petty returns to an infield unit that she has started in since her freshman season.
A season ago, she got the nod as a third-team all-region honoree. On the year, Petty tallied 31 runs, 32 RBI and launched eight home runs in 2021. Petty's power – which has only improved in the off season as she led the team in home runs in the fall – is an asset to the Cowgirls that will likely land her in the lineup even on days when she's not in the field.
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The youngest addition to the Cowgirl infield is Brianna Evans. The freshman out of Red Oak, Texas, has impressed the coaching staff from day one. Her all-around athleticism earned her two starts during fall play. The No. 11 recruit in the Extra Inning Softball Elite 100 was named District MVP and first-team all-state in her 2021 senior season. An all-around athlete who competed in powerlifting, basketball and track and field while in high school, Evans brings speed and power and is a threat on the basepaths.
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Kansas transfer Morgyn Wynne is a fascinating addition to the OSU roster and has potential to be a like-for-like replacement for graduated two-time All-American Alysen Febrey. Both Wynne and Febrey started 18 conference games last season and faced similar pitching. A look at how similar their 2021 numbers were in Big 12 play:
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Wynne: .340 BA /.620 Slg. Pct. / .476 OBP
Febrey: .322 BA / .661 Slg. Pct. / .373 OBP
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Wynne: 5 doubles, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 31 total bases
Febrey: 5 doubles, 5 HR, 15 RBI, 39 total bases
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Febrey was spectacular during her two years at Oklahoma State and rightfully earned a spot as one of the nation's most feared hitters, but there is real reason for the optimism surrounding Wynne. Even more interesting is what Wynne can do batting in an OSU lineup that offers her much more protection than the lineup she spearheaded in Lawrence.Â
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Among the best in the country, the Oklahoma State infield figures to be an integral element of a 2022 Cowgirl roster with its sights set on a third-consecutive WCWS trip.
Â
Third baseman Sydney Pennington and shortstop Kiley Naomi form one of the best left sides of the infield in the country. Opposite of them, freshman Brianna Evans and junior Karli Petty are both viable options at second base while Kansas transfer Morgyn Wynne is favored to get the nod at first base.
Â
A returning All-American and Oklahoma State's all-time home run leader, Pennington was a key cog in Oklahoma State's back-to-back WCWS appearances. She has started 192 consecutive games since 2018 and ranks in the top 25 on the OSU career lists for hits, runs scored, runs batted in, doubles, times hit by pitch and sacrifice flies. A consistent producer at the plate and a standout defender in the field, Pennington has earned a spot among the top third basemen in America.
Â
To her left, an All-American level performer ÂÂin Naomi at shortstop for the Cowgirls. Simply by watching her play, one would be hard pressed to find an element of the game in which she doesn't excel. Her numbers, especially those from the 2021 season, confirm her do-it-all nature. Naomi's .578 career slugging percentage places her atop the all-time list for OSU shortstops. Her 59 runs scored in 2021 ranks second on the OSU single-season list. Naomi is as reliable as they come with a career .311 batting average and a .417 career on base percentage. She was honored with first team All-Big 12 and third team all-region awards in 2021, but Naomi has bigger aspirations moving forward, for herself and her team.
Â
Junior Karli Petty returns to an infield unit that she has started in since her freshman season.
A season ago, she got the nod as a third-team all-region honoree. On the year, Petty tallied 31 runs, 32 RBI and launched eight home runs in 2021. Petty's power – which has only improved in the off season as she led the team in home runs in the fall – is an asset to the Cowgirls that will likely land her in the lineup even on days when she's not in the field.
Â
The youngest addition to the Cowgirl infield is Brianna Evans. The freshman out of Red Oak, Texas, has impressed the coaching staff from day one. Her all-around athleticism earned her two starts during fall play. The No. 11 recruit in the Extra Inning Softball Elite 100 was named District MVP and first-team all-state in her 2021 senior season. An all-around athlete who competed in powerlifting, basketball and track and field while in high school, Evans brings speed and power and is a threat on the basepaths.
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Kansas transfer Morgyn Wynne is a fascinating addition to the OSU roster and has potential to be a like-for-like replacement for graduated two-time All-American Alysen Febrey. Both Wynne and Febrey started 18 conference games last season and faced similar pitching. A look at how similar their 2021 numbers were in Big 12 play:
Â
Wynne: .340 BA /.620 Slg. Pct. / .476 OBP
Febrey: .322 BA / .661 Slg. Pct. / .373 OBP
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Wynne: 5 doubles, 3 HR, 10 RBI, 31 total bases
Febrey: 5 doubles, 5 HR, 15 RBI, 39 total bases
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Febrey was spectacular during her two years at Oklahoma State and rightfully earned a spot as one of the nation's most feared hitters, but there is real reason for the optimism surrounding Wynne. Even more interesting is what Wynne can do batting in an OSU lineup that offers her much more protection than the lineup she spearheaded in Lawrence.Â
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Among the best in the country, the Oklahoma State infield figures to be an integral element of a 2022 Cowgirl roster with its sights set on a third-consecutive WCWS trip.
Players Mentioned
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