OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – Oklahoma State softball’s Big 12 tournament opening game against Kansas on Thursday has been postponed until Friday, May 12, at 10 a.m. due to inclement weather. Oklahoma State is the third seed with a record of 41-13/10-8 and Kansas is the sixth seed at 24-26/5-13.
The Cowgirls currently trail the Jayhawks 3-1 in the top of the fourth inning. Kansas will have two base runners with two outs when play resumes. Jordan Richards is on second, Shayna Espy is on first and Presley Limbaugh is the hitter with freshman Kyra Aycock now in the circle as starter Kelly Maxwell was pulled in the fourth.
The Cowgirls started the scoring in the bottom of the second inning and had a chance to put up a big number. Chyenne Factor led off with a smash to shortstop that the Jayhawks Haleigh Harper dove and stopped but had no chance on the throw to first. Former KU player Moorgan Wynne stared down he former teammate in Kasey Hamilton and earned a walk. Tallen Edwards followed with a bunt back to Hamilton, who did get the out at first as Factor and Wynne moved up. Taylor Tuck hit a medium fly ball to left field and Factor tagged up and scored. The inning ended when nine hole hitter Megan Bloodworth grounded out to second base.
The Jayhawks answered Oklahoma State’s first run and the first run of the game with a big frame. It started fine with Maxwell striking out Peyton Renzi. Then Jordan Richards earned a walk. Shayna Espy drove the ball into leftfield for a single to set the table. Haleigh Harper didn’t waste the table setting and drove the ball over the heads of centerfielder Chyenne Factor and leftfielder Tallen Edwards that was drifting over. All the way to the wall and both runners scored on the double to make it 2-0 Kansas.
The next hitter Presley Limbaugh singled with a bloop that split the difference between Factor and rightfielder Katelynn Carwile allowing Harper to score easily from second. Hailey Cripe struck out, but then Maxwell, who has struggled of late walked back to back Jayhawks to load the bases before Aynslee Linduff lined out to Edwards in left to end the inning. Three runs on three hits and three walks. The Cowgirls got out fortunate with just three runs.
The Cowgirls have lost four of their last 14 games and they’ve done it every way imagineable with poor pitching, defensive lapses, and inability to get hits with runners in scoring position.
Now when play resumes the Cowgirls need to get the third out in the top of the fourth and go back to work with the bats.
