Cowgirls Top Cal Baptist, Missouri State

TEMPE, Ariz. – The Oklahoma State softball team claimed a pair of wins over California Baptist, 3-1, and Missouri State, 5-1, Saturday at the Kajikawa Classic.

Getting the nod for her first collegiate start in the circle, freshman right hander Tatum Clopton struck out five and allowed a single run in five innings of work against California Baptist.

The first run of the contest with the Lancers came courtesy of a Hayley Busby sacrifice fly that brought Brianna Evans across the plate in the third.

The Lancers matched Oklahoma State's run in their half of the third, but Clopton worked her way out of a jam and ended the inning with a pair of strikeouts.

In the top of the fourth, Sydney Pennington tripled and put the Cowgirls back in front as she crossed the plate on a Taylor Tuck RBI single.

Although the Cowgirls racked up 11 hits as a team against CBU, they struggled to bring runs across. There were four innings in which Oklahoma State stranded two or more runners.

OSU added late insurance to their lead with an RBI double from Tuck in the seventh.

In the days second game against Missouri State, OSU held a narrow 2-1 lead through five innings before a flood of Cowgirl hits broke things open in the bottom of the sixth. Both teams had their chances early, with both squads stranding at least one runner on base every inning through the first four.

To shut the door on the Bears, preseason All-American Kelly Maxwell stepped into the circle and struck out eight in three innings.

Oklahoma State ended their weekend in the desert on a high note with home runs from Morgyn Wynne and Katelynn Carwile.

Up next, Oklahoma State will compete as part of a loaded field in the St. Pete Clearwater Elite Invitational from February 18-20. The Cowgirls open the tournament with a 9 a.m. CT start against Michigan on Feb. 18.