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Oklahoma State softball vs Arizona recap: Cowgirls sweep NCAA Super Regional to reach WCWS

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Oklahoma State softball vs Arizona recap: Cowgirls sweep NCAA Super Regional to reach WCWS

Coach Kenny Gajewski and the fifth-seeded Oklahoma State Cowgirls will try to lock up a trip to the Women’s College World Series on Saturday night with a win against Arizona in Game 2 of the NCAA softball tournament super regionals.

The Cowgirls run-ruled the Wildcats 8-0 in five innings Friday night in Game 1.

The start time for Game 2 was moved up 30 minutes to 5:30 p.m. due to inclement weather in the forecast. The game will now be televised on ESPNU.

Here’s what you need to know about the Cowgirls (46-10) and Wildcats (35-17-1):

More: How Oklahoma State softball’s Jilyen Poullard overcame her ‘mental warfare’ to ignite team

Oklahoma State softball live score updates vs. Arizona

More than 5 hours after first pitch, OSU locked up a 10-4 victory to advance to its fifth straight Women’s College World Series.

Lexi Kilfoyl retired the side in order in the inning, getting a check-swing groundout, strikeout and XXX. She finished the day throwing four innings, allowing a run on four hits. She struck out three.

— Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor

Give credit to Arizona pitcher Miranda Stoddard. She’s been excellent since the lightning delay. She retired the Cowgirls in order in the seventh.

Now, OSU turns to Lexi Kilfoyl to close things out.

— Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor

More: Oklahoma State softball earns fifth straight WCWS trip as Cowgirls sweep Arizona

Arizona barely got a ball out of the infield, but it was enough to put pressure on OSU’s Lexi Kilfoyl. She worked around an infield single and a bloop single just over third base to strand runners on the corners.

And the Cowgirls still remained in control with a 10-4 lead, three outs from a fifth straight trip to the Women’s College World Series.

— Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor

Wildcats reliever Miranda Stoddard has settled in well since the weather delay. She allowed a two-out single to OSU’s Rosie Davis but nothing else.

OSU still leads 10-4.

— Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor

OSU ace Lexi Kilfoyl wasn’t quite as sharp coming out of the long weather delay, allowing a two-out, run-scoring double to Olivia Dinardo off the glove of a diving Macy Graf near the foul line.

But Kilfoyl limited to damage to one run, which cut OSU’s lead to 10-4.

— Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor

With the lightning delay over, OSU’s offensive threat in the inning ended rather quickly when Tallen Edwards grounded out to end the inning.

OSU still leads 10-3.

— Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor

OSU announced that the tarp is being removed from the field and play will resume at 9:50 p.m., ending a lightning delay at 2 hours, 17 minutes. OSU leads 10-3 in the top of the fifth.

— Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor

The Cowgirls immediately responded.

Claire Timm doubled to right-center field, scoring Rosie Davis from first for an 8-3 lead, which chased Arizona reliever Brooke Mannon, who threw 3 2/3 innings and allowed six runs on six hits and three walks. She allowed four extra-base hits, including a pair of home runs.

Two batters later, Lexi McDonald ripped a run-scoring double to left-center field off reliever Miranda Stoddard for a 9-3 lead.

Jilyen Poullard followed with a run-scoring single just before the weather horn sounded to suspend the game with the Cowgirls leading 10-3.

— Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor

More: Oklahoma State softball vs Arizona in lightning delay at Game 2 of NCAA Super Regional

The Wildcats chased OSU starter Ivy Rosenberry with a two-run homer from catcher Emily Schepp, her seventh of the season.

That cut OSU’s lead to 7-3.

But the Cowgirls turned to ace Lexi Kilfoyl in the circle.

She struck out the next two batters and got a groundout to settle things down.

— Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor

Lexi McDonald opened the inning with a double to kick start atwo-run inning to take a commanding 7-1 lead.

Caroline Wang drove in two with a bloop single to right with two outs.

OSU nearly had more runs, though.

Arizona right fielder Kaiah Altmeyer dropped a fly ball from Karli Godwin. But Altmeyer recovered and threw out Wang at the plate. OSU challenged for obstruction, but a review confirmed the out and the inning was over.

 — Jacob Unruh, Deputy sports editor

Arizona looked primed to put a run or more on the board when a fly ball was floating toward right field. However, OSU outfielder Macy Graf, who was inserted at the start of the inning specifically for her speed in the outfield, made a diving catch along the line.

Had the ball fallen in, Arizona would’ve scored at least one run on the play, and possibly two or even three. 

Instead, OSU got out of the inning without any damage, maintaining its 5-1 lead.

 — Scott Wright, Staff writer

OSU freshman Rosie Davis and sophomore Claire Timm extended the OSU lead to 5-1 with back-to-back solo home runs. 

Davis hit a line drive that didn’t need the assistance of the gusting wind that is blowing out to left. It was Davis’ eighth home run of the season. Timm’s shot to right-center field was her 10th, giving OSU five players with at least 10 home runs for the first time in program history.

The Cowgirls missed another scoring opportunity after Caroline Wang drew a walk. Her pinch-runner, Taylor Anderson, was called out for leaving first base early during Karli Godwin’s at-bat.

 — Scott Wright, Staff writer

Ivy Rosenberry allowed a one-out single on a soft blooper on the infield that landed behind the pitching circle and spun away from OSU’s infielders. But that was the only hit Arizona got, stranding a runner for the second straight inning.

OSU remains in the lead, 3-1.

 — Scott Wright, Staff writer

A pair of groundouts and a strikeout ended OSU’s half of the second inning, keeping its lead at 3-1.

Arizona pitcher Brooke Mannon needed just 11 pitches to get through the 9-1-2 section of the OSU batting order.

 — Scott Wright, Staff writer

Ivy Rosenberry had a bit of rust in making her first start in over two weeks. 

But an inning-ending double play got the Cowgirls out of the inning with a 3-1 lead.

Rosenberry allowed a double and two singles to the first three hitters she faced, but got a strikeout, then Tallen Edwards started a double play on a line drive to her at third base.

With runners on the corners, Edwards glanced at the runner on third, who was retreating, then threw to first, just missing the out there. But the runner from third took off and Karli Godwin threw to Caroline Wang, who applied the tag for the final out. 

After Friday’s win, OSU coach Kenny Gajewski spoke to the need to get more work for Rosenberry, who was a key part of the pitching rotation throughout the year. However, with the dominance Lexi Kilfoyl had shown recently, Gajewski stuck with the hot hand. 

 — Scott Wright, Staff writer

For the second straight night, Oklahoma State jumped to a 3-0 lead, started by a two-run home run by Tallen Edwards.

Jilyen Poullard walked to start the game for the Cowgirls, who are the designated visitor for the second game of the Stillwater Super Regional. Edwards followed with an opposite-field line drive that glanced off the glove of leaping left fielder Dakota Kennedy and carried over the wall.

After a double by Karli Godwin, Arizona decided to pull starting pitcher Aissa Silva, opting for freshman Brooke Mannon, who has a 4.46 ERA for the season.

After a single by Rosie Davis, Godwin came in to score on a wild pitch for the 3-0 lead.

 — Scott Wright, Staff writer

Game 2 of the NCAA Super Regional between OSU and Arizona will start on ESPN News before eventually switching over to ESPNU.

For the first time in the NCAA Tournament, OSU coach Kenny Gajewski will start a pitcher other than Lexi Kilfoyl.

Ivy Rosenberry, who last started in the Big 12 Tournament loss to BYU on May 9, has a 1.72 RA with 90 strikeouts over 105 ⅓ innings, producing a 13-4 record. She has pitched just two innings since

Arizona will start Aissa Silva, the team’s most productive pitcher this season. She has a 3.12 ERA with 110 strikeouts in 154 ⅔ innings. Silva pitched briefly in relief during Friday’s 8-0 run-rule victory by the Cowgirls, allowing three runs on three hits over two innings. 

 — Scott Wright, Staff writer

More: Mussatto: How Oklahoma State softball has become ‘toughest ticket in town’

OSU softball highlights vs. Arizona

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What time does OSU softball vs. Arizona start?

  • Date: Saturday, May 25
  • Time: 5:30 p.m. CT
  • Where: Cowgirl Stadium in Stillwater

More: Mussatto: What Arizona, Arizona State and Utah will bring to Big 12 softball

What channel is OSU softball vs. Arizona on today?

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