OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Mother Nature wasn’t kind to the Cowgirls and Seminoles in their opening game of the 2023 NCAA Women’s College World Series. A true rain delay pushed the start time back an hour and 20 minutes to 7:20 p.m. then less than an hour into the game it was one of those lightning delays that took the teams off the field and sent the fans to the exits. Then came the rain and that ended up being an hour and 46 minute rain delay. Florida State led before the delay and then after the rain ended they poured it on to win 8-0 in run rule fashion in the sixth inning of the Women’s College World Series Opener. The Seminoles move on to play a winner’s bracket game on Saturday. The Cowgirls fell to 46-15 and will play the loser of the delayed opener for Washington and Utah [ushed to Friday at 1 p.m. That loser’s bracket game for OSU is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Friday.
Losing the opener makes it rough. Should Oklahoma State survive in the loser’s bracket game they come back in bracket one with top-ranked and 57-1 Oklahoma.
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Sandercock was on early for FSU.
After the rain delay, down 2-0, the Cowgirls were pushing to get back in the game and get to Seminoles starter Kathryn Sandercock. The tall, rangy pitcher came in hot with a 1.10 ERA and a 26-3 record including dominating wins in the Regional and Super Regional. She struck out three Cowgirls in the first.
With two outs in the top of the third, Chyenne Factor worked a four pitch walk. Then Kiley Naomi on a 2-2 count hit a line drive to centerfield and as Factor turned the corner at second rolling to third, Naomi decided to stretch it into a double. FSU centerfielder Jahni Kerr made a nice play backhanding the base hit and got it back in to second baseman Devyn Flaherty. As Naomi was sliding into second Flaherty turned with the ball and slapped a hard tag on Naomi in the face for the third out and killing the rally.
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Edenfield with the big blast.
Florida State got started first and Oklahoma State starter and second-team All-American pitcher contributed. Maxwell wasn’t sharp and in the bottom of the first with two outs turned an 1-2 count to Kalei Harding into a walk. The next hitter was catcher Michaela Edenfield and on the first pitch she hit a “no doubter” as the ball sailed over the short centerfield stands and just underneath the video scoreboard with a big bounce off the asphalt. That quick it was 2-0 Seminoles.
After the in-game weather delay, Oklahoma State head coach Kenny Gajewski pulled Maxwell and inserted freshman pitcher Kyra Aycock. That proved to be rough. Florida State added a run in the bottom of the third to make it 3-0, but then they completely blew it open in the bottom of the fourth.
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Maxwell only lasted two innings.
After Mack Leonard singled Seminoles head coach Lonni Alameda pinch ran Autumn Belvly and that would be key because with one out and Belvly on third Josie Muffley amzingly got her bat on a pitch at her ankles for a succesful squeeze play and Belvley scored to make it 4-0. Seminoles still had two on with one out and the order turned with leadoff hitter Kaley Mudge who took Kyra Aycock’s pitch and poked a line drive that just cleared the leftfield fence for a three-run homer and a 7-0 commanding lead for the Seminoles.
In the sixth inning the Seminoles with two outs and a runner on third, had Jahni Kerr hit a ball deep to second base. Rachel Becker dove and fielded it but Kerr beat the rhrow at first to allow the eighth run to score for the finish.
Oklahoma State came into Oklahoma City playing orange hot but after day one in the Women’s College World Series they have cooled off considerably.
