Maxwell, Elish Headline Cowgirl Softball's Big 12 Yearly Award Winners
STILLWATER – Co-Pitcher of the Year Kelly Maxwell and first team all-conference performer Miranda Elish headlined a group of seven Oklahoma State honorees as the Big 12 announced its 2022 softball yearly awards today.
During the regular season, Maxwell led the league in strikeouts, strikeouts per seven innings and shutouts. Her 1.21 earned run average ranked 12th nationally and she limited opponents to a .153 batting average. She was recognized as Big 12 Pitcher of the Week four times during the season and threw a no-hitter against Texas Tech. Her 18 strikeouts against Kansas on March 15 set a school record for most in a seven-inning game.
Maxwell recognized as co-Pitcher of the Year marks the second consecutive season that a Cowgirl has earned the distinction of being named the conference's top pitcher, as Carrie Eberle was the 2021 Big 12 Pitcher of the Year.
In addition to sharing Co-Pitcher of the Year honors with Oklahoma freshman Jordy Bahl, Maxwell earned first-team All-Big 12 recognition for the second straight season. Joining her on the 2022 first-team All-Big 12 squad was Miranda Elish, who was selected as a pitcher.
In Big 12 play, Elish was 7-0 in the circle with a 1.76 earned run average and five complete games. She struck out 52 batters in 43.2 innings of work and limited opponents to a .184 batting average. She was a three-time selection as Big 12 Pitcher of the Week and threw no-hitters in non-conference matchups against Minnesota and Wichita State. Elish was equally as effective as a hitter, ranking in the top 10 in the conference in OPS, hits, home runs, runs batted in, total bases and slugging percentage during conference play.
Katelynn Carwile, Chyenne Factor, Kiley Naomi and Sydney Pennington were all named to the All-Big 12 second team.
Carwile is enjoying a breakout season and has become one of the team's most productive offensive weapons after tallying only 11 at-bats last year. She ranks in the top two on the team in batting average (first), runs scored (second), hits (first), doubles (first), runs batted in (second), total bases (second) and slugging percentage (second).
A consistent producer and steadying influence on the team, Factor has started every game this season for the Cowgirls in center field. She is tied with Pennington for the team lead with 10 home runs and earned second-team All-Big 12 honors for the second consecutive season.
One of the most dynamic defensive players in the conference, Naomi earned All-Big 12 honors for the second year in a row. In addition to her defensive prowess, she ranked in the top 10 in the league in runs scored in conference play.
Pennington ranks among the top 10 in the Big 12 in both home runs and runs batted in this season and is OSU's career home run leader with 47. Her All-Big 12 recognition this season is the first of her career, though she was an All-American by Softball America during the COVID-shortened 2020 season in which the Big 12 did not name an all-conference team.
OSU's six All-Big 12 honorees in 2022 trailed only Oklahoma, which had seven.
In addition to OSU's all-conference selections, Brianna Evans was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman team. She enjoyed an 11-game hit streak, the longest by any Cowgirl this season and is a threat to score any time she is on base.