Elish Leads Cowgirls to Victory over Kansas

STILLWATER – Miranda Elish pitched a complete game and drove in five runs to lead the No. 6 Oklahoma State softball team to a 9-4 win over Kansas Thursday at Cowgirl Stadium. 
 
With the win, the Cowgirls improved to 32-7 and 9-1 in Big 12 play. 
 
After allowing a three-run home run in the first followed by solo shot in the second, Elish settled in to hold the Jayhawks scoreless for the final five innings. She finished with 10 strikeouts. 
 
Trailing, 4-0, in the third inning, the Cowgirls plated their first run when Katelynn Carwile singled home Chelsea Alexander from second base. Alexander was originally held at third on the play, but running behind her, Brianna Evans anticipated that Alexander would be sent home, so she broke for third. With nowhere to go, Evans drew a throw when she scrambled safely back to second, which created the opportunity for Alexander to sprint home and score under the tag in a heads-up play.
 
Elish then tied the game with a three-run home run that cleared the batter's eye in center field.
 
Elish broke the tie in the fifth inning when she singled in Chyenne Factor. Later in the inning, Sydney Pennington added insurance with a two-run sacrifice fly. She hit a deep line drive that Kansas center fielder Macy Omli caught while crashing into the center field fence. Jules Callaham tagged up and scored easily from third and Hayley Busby had the presence of mind to tag up from second and come all the way around to score in a close play at the plate.
 
OSU added two more runs to seal their victory. 
 
"I thought our bats really improved," head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "I thought we ran the bases extremely well, like a championship team tonight."
 
The Cowgirls play game two of the Kansas series Friday at 6 p.m. CT.