Oklahoma State Splits Final Day of Puerto Vallarta College Challenge

(Oklahoma State Athletics Media Relations and Pokes Report’s Zachary Lancaster contributed to this article)

Oklahoma State softball finished the Puerto Vallarta College Challenge 3-1 overall as the Cowgirls split the final day of competition, dropping game one 11-6 to Maryland, then bouncing back for a 3-0 win over Ole Miss.

Oklahoma State grabbed a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning following senior Kiley Naomi's RBI single that scored Edwards. 

Virginia Tech transfer Ivy Rosenberry got the nod in the circle, her first appearance as a Cowgirl. She went 2.1 innings, striking out two but giving up three earned runs. Sophomore Bailie Runner made her first collegiate appearance in the third inning, pitching 2.2 innings with one strikeout and two earned runs. 

After the Terrapins tied the game at one apiece in the top of the second inning, Edwards put OSU back on top with an RBI single that brought home Megan Bloodworth. Maryland took the lead in the third inning, capitalizing on a bases-loaded situation with their first home run of the season, a grand slam that put them up, 6-2. 

A two-RBI single from Edwards in the fourth inning brought home Rachel Becker and Bloodworth to bring OSU within two, 6-4. Following a three-run inning from Maryland in the fifth, OSU responded with a home run of its own from Morgyn Wynne to trim the deficit to 9-6. The Terrapins knocked in two more runs in the sixth inning, to extend their advantage to 11-6 and put the game out of reach.

As for the second game of the day, it was Kelly Maxwell picking up her second win of the season as the Cowgirls beat Ole Miss 3-0 on seven hits. Maxwell and Lexi Kilfoyl combined for a shutout, which allowed just four hits and included eight strikeouts.

Through just two games, Maxwell is already up to 23 total strikeouts, having allowed just four hits and two walks.

Oklahoma State continued its trend of striking first as junior Katelynn Carwile and redshirt freshman Micaela Wark both tabbed RBI walks with the bases loaded. It was both of their first RBI of the season and marked the third time in three games that the Cowgirls scored in the first inning.

OSU's ace, Maxwell pitched 6.0 innings, with eight strikeouts and only two hits allowed. Kilfoyl collected her first save of the season after coming in for relief in the seventh inning and finishing the shutout.

Freshman Tallen Edwards continued her hot streak, going 2-3 tonight with one RBI. For the tournament, Edwards went 7-13 with five RBI.

The Cowgirls threatened to extend their lead in the fifth inning, following another Edwards base hit and Kiley Naomi getting hit by a pitch. The Cowgirls had runners on first and second with no outs but weren't able to capitalize on the opportunity.

OSU tacked on the game's final run in the sixth inning to put the Cowgirls up 3-0. Edwards entered the batter's box with the bases loaded and took care of business, bringing home fellow freshman Haidyn Sokoloski with a sac fly to left field.

The Cowgirls will be back in action later this week as they travel to Clearwater, Florida for the TaxAct Clearwater Invitational. They’ll face Texas A&M on Thursday, Feb. 16, with a 9 a.m. CT start time. That’s the first of five games over three days for the Cowgirls as they’ll face Nebraska 3 p.m. CT on Thursday, Virginia Tech Friday at 9 .m. CT and both Louisiana (9:30 a.m. CT) and Michigan (12:30 p.m. CT) on Saturday.