Oklahoma State University Athletics
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OSU Preps For Bedlam Softball Series With Big 12 Regular Season Title On The Line
May 04, 2022 | Cowgirl Softball
The Basics
With the Big 12 regular season title on the line, the No. 7/7 Oklahoma State softball team (38-9, 14-1 Big 12) travels to Norman to take on No. 1/1 Oklahoma (45-1, 14-1 Big 12) in the Phillips 66 Bedlam series from May 5-7. Games are slated for Thursday at 7 p.m., Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m.
Watch, Listen, Follow
All three games of the Phillips 66 Bedlam series are set to be nationally televised on the ESPN family of networks with Michele Smith and Beth Mowins on the call. Thursday's game can be seen on ESPN, Friday's on ESPN2 and Saturday's on ESPNU.
Live stats are available online at okstate.statbroadcast.com.
Fans can follow @CowgirlSB on Twitter all season for regular coverage and updates.
In The Rankings
As of May 3, Oklahoma State ranks:
• No. 6 in D1Softball's Top 25
• No. 6 in SoftballAmerica's NCAA Division I Softball Top 25
• No. 7 in the USA Today/NFCA DI Top 25 Coaches Poll
• No. 7 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Collegiate Top 25
• No. 8 in NCAA DI Adjusted Rating Percentage Index
Oklahoma State From AÂ Distance
Winners in 21 of its last 24, Oklahoma State is in the conversation as a host for both the Regional and Super Regional rounds of the 2022 NCAA tournament.
The Cowgirls already have top-25 wins over Northwestern, Michigan and Arizona State as well as a three-game series sweep over Texas.
Starting pitching and defense are important parts of OSU's success. Ace Kelly Maxwell leads the Big 12 and ranks second nationally with 12.1 strikeouts per seven innings and ranks ninth in in the nation with a 1.04 earned run average. She is also in the top 15 nationally in fewest hits allowed per game (sixth – 3.35) and shutouts (17th – seven).
Perhaps the nation's best dual threat talent, Miranda Elish has won her last 10 starts and has logged two no-hitters this season. At the plate, she ranks top 10 in the Big 12 in batting average (10th – .378), slugging percentage (10th – .659) and on-base percentage (eighth – .485).
Defensively, the Cowgirls boast top national rankings in fielding percentage (fourth – .982), fewest errors (third – 22) and shutouts (14th – 14).
Notable Streaks and Trends
• OSU has won 21 of its last 24.
• OSU has outscored Big 12 opposition by a combined score of 97-22.
• OSU has elevated its adjusted RPI four spots – from No. 12 to No. 8 – since the start of Big 12 play.
• OSU is 28-2 when scoring first and 31-1 when leading after four innings.
• OSU has kept opponents to five hits or less in 24 of its last 30 games.
• OSU has kept opponents to three runs or less in 28 of its last 29 games.
• The Cowgirls have been ranked in the NFCA poll in each of their last 188 games, dating back to the start of the 2019 season.
• Miranda Elish is enjoying the finest offensive season of her career, having already set or matched single-season highs in batting average, on base percentage, home runs, runs batted in and walks.
• In Big 12 play, Miranda Elish ranks in the top 10 in the league in batting average, hits, home runs, runs batted in, total bases, slugging percentage and on base percentage.
• Miranda Elish has reached base in 12 straight games in which she's made a plate appearance.
• Sydney Pennington has started 254 consecutive games, which amounts to every game of her career.
• Sydney Pennington leads all Cowgirls and ranks sixth in the Big 12 in runs batted in with 40.
• Sydney Pennington, Chyenne Factor and Julia Cottrill are tied for sixth place in the Big 12 with 10 home runs apiece.
• Kelly Maxwell is 6-1 with an 0.87 earned run average and leads the league with 86 strikeouts in 48.1 innings pitched against Big 12 opponents. She's limiting Big 12 batters to a .144 batting average.
• Kelly Maxwell has tallied double digit strikeouts in 12 of her 18 starts this season.
• Kelly Maxwell has 221 strikeouts, which ties her with Kim Ward (1995) for 10th most in a single season in program history. With 19 more strikeouts, she'll match the highest single-season total turned in by Cowgirl legend Michele Smith, who struck out a career-best 240 in 1989.
• Katelynn Carwile leads all Cowgirls in multi-hit games this season with 13 (10 two-hit games, two three-hit games and one four-hit game).
• Brianna Evans leads all Cowgirls and ranks fourth in the Big 12 in stolen bases with 14, trailed closely by Chelsea Alexander (seventh – 12) and Kiley Naomi (10th - 9).
Built For The Big 12
After grinding through a nonconference slate that featured 11 games against teams with a top-50 adjusted RPI, OSU has opened Big 12 play with five consecutive series wins over Texas Tech, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas and Texas.
The Pokes' 14-1 record through its first 15 conference contests ties the 2021 Cowgirls for the best start to Big 12 play in program history through as many games.
Oklahoma state has outscored Big 12 opposition by a combined score of 97-22, including four shutouts and four run-rule victories in that stretch.
In search of its first Big 12 regular season title, Oklahoma State enters into the final week of its regular season deadlocked with Oklahoma at 14-1 atop the conference standings.
Defense First
Oklahoma State's defense leads the Big 12 and boasts top national rankings in fielding percentage (fourth – .982) and fewest errors (third – 22).
The Cowgirls have committed no more than two errors in any game this season and have had just three defensive miscues against Big 12 opposition.
Kate Is Great
An underclassman in a lineup loaded with All-America talent, sophomore Katelynn Carwile owns top ranks among her teammates in runs scored (second – 29), hits (first – 44), doubles (first – 11), RBI (second – 30) and total bases (second – 73).
She's recorded at least one hit in 23 of her last 32 games and has tallied a 13 multi-hit games on the season, which leads all Pokes.
Carwile reached base in 21 consecutive games from March 16 to April 22, the longest streak by any Cowgirl this season.
To The Max
The Big 12's leader in strikeouts, strikeouts per seven innings and shutouts, Kelly Maxwell continues to prove she belongs among USA Softball's Top 10 Finalists for Collegiate Player of the Year. In the midst of the best season of her career, she has already set or matched single-season career highs in earned run average, wins, complete games, shutouts, innings pitched, strikeouts and opponent batting average.
The four-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Week threw 140 pitches in the Cowgirls' extra-innings battle at Florida State on April 28. Despite the loss, Maxwell allowed a single earned run, two walks and four hits while fanning 12 of the 32 Seminole batters she faced, marking the 12th start this season she's tallied a double-digit strikeout total.
Sydney P
Oklahoma State's home run queen and career record holder in games played and games started has elevated her game since the start of Big 12 play.
She ranks among Oklahoma State's best in batting average (third – .314), runs scored (tied-second – nine), hits (tied-third – 11), home runs (second – four) and RBI (third – 14) through 15 conference contests.
The graduate senior with a program record 254 consecutive starts for the Cowgirls has tallied 10 multiple-RBI performances on the year, five of which have come in conference play.
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