Oklahoma State Tops Clemson 2-0 in Game One of Stillwater Super Regional
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State softball took game one of the NCAA Stillwater Super Regional against Clemson, 2-0.
With the win, the Cowgirls move to 45-12 on the season.
Game two is scheduled for 8 p.m. CT on Friday, May 27, and will be televised on ESPN2.
"Obviously for OSU it was a great way to start,” said head coach Kenny Gajewski. "I want to say thank you to our crowd. It is incredible to see how this place has grown. I think in the third I walked out and thought this is crazy. I know that I speak for all of us when I say we’re incredibly thankful and appreciative of them and the atmosphere they create here, so hats off to them. It was a really good softball game like you’d expect at this point in the year. A 2-0 game. When you have someone like Kelly who toes the rubber, you feel good going into any game that she’s going to throw. For her to post 13 strikeouts and one walk against a really good team that’s well coached and talented is saying a lot.
It was another dominant postseason performance by Cowgirl pitcher, Kelly Maxwell, who recorded a complete game, posting 13 strikeouts, while giving up just two hits and just one walk.
“I think everything was working, being able to get their hitters off time,” said Maxwell. "I had my off-speed working again tonight and then my rise was spinning well too.”
The Cowgirls started the game off with a quick three-out defensive inning, with Kelly Maxwell recording a strikeout for the for the first out of the game.
With two outs in the bottom of the first, and Chyenne Factor on first, Miranda Elish drove a ball into right field, putting two runners on. However, just like the top half of the inning, there’s was nothing doing.
Maxwell recorded two more strikeouts in the top half of the second inning, bringing her total up to three. Karli Petty recorded the third out of the inning as she hauled in a hard-hit line drive up the middle.
Haley Busby led off the bottom half of the second with a sharp liner into center field for a single. However, Clemson pitcher Millie Thompson had her changeup working as she recorded a groundout and a strikeout to end the inning.
Maxwell was feeling it in the top half of the third as she recorded three strikeouts to get out of the inning, keeping the game 0-0.
Factor led off the bottom half of the third with a stand up double to right field and was advanced to third by a sacrifice hit by Katelyn Carwile. But that was all that happened for the Cowgirls as Elish flied out for the third out of the inning.
Maxwell had a no-hitter going through the top of the fourth inning, but Clemson’s Valerie Cagle drove a ball deep into right field for a single, giving the Tigers their first hit of the game.
However, that was the last thing happening for Clemson as Maxwell recorded her seventh strikeout of the game, followed by a double play at second. Shannon came into pinch run for Cagle and was called for interference at a play at second because she didn’t slide, resulting in a double play to end the inning.
It was a quick three-up three-down for the Cowgirls in the bottom half of the fourth, but Kelly Maxwell kept the pressure up in the top half o the fifth as she recorded her eighth strikeout of the game to get out of the inning.
It was the bottom half of the fifth where the Cowgirls got on the board first. Taylor Tuck started things with a deep fly ball to left center for a double, followed by a sac-bunt by Kiley Naomi to advance pinch runner Brianna Evans over to third. Chelsea Alexander was walked to put runners on the corner, but Factor faked the first pitch for a ball, advancing Alexander over to second with one out.
She then hit a grounder up the middle, scoring back Evans and Alexander to put the Cowgirls up 2-0.
The Cowgirls loaded the bases with two outs, but Clemson was able to get out of the inning without further damage.
It was the same story, different inning for Maxwell in the top half of the sixth inning as she recorded her 11th strikeout of the game for the first out. Guimbarda singled down the third base line, putting a runner at first with one out.
Maxwell recorded strikeout No. 12 of the evening for out No. 2, followed by strikeout No. 13 to end the game.