Simunek Rebounds as Cowgirls Open Weekend with Pair of Wins

CONROE, Texas — The Oklahoma State softball team improved to 4-0 on the season with a pair of victories Saturday to kick-off the ScrapYard Blizzard Classic. OSU opened the day with an 11-1 run-rule victory over Texas A&M Corpus-Christi. Logan Simunek (1-0) picked up the win after yielding only one run on three hits in four innings of work. In the second game of the day, OSU picked up a 2-0 victory over North Texas. All-America right-hander Carrie Eberle (1-0) was nearly perfect in pitching a one-hit shutout. 
 
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n game one, a grand slam by second baseman Karli Petty and a two-run shot from All-America first baseman Alysen Febrey (third home run of the season) fueled an offensive explosion. Shortstop Kiley Naomi added a three-for-three performance at the plate with a double, two runs batted in, a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored. 
 
Already holding a 4-1 lead, OSU scored seven runs in the fifth as the Cowgirls brought 12 batters to the plate in the inning. 
 
Three walks and an error allowed the Cowgirls to get the bases loaded for Petty, whose grand slam blew the game wide open. 
 
In game two, Eberle struck out eight to secure her first win of the season. 
 
The Cowgirls scored both of their runs in the bottom of the third inning. Naomi doubled Petty home to open the scoring, then two batters later, Febrey through the left side to bring Naomi around from second base. Naomi finished five-for-six hitting on the day and Febrey continued her streak of getting hits in every game so far this season.
 
Eberle shut down the North Texas lineup for the rest of the game, retiring the last 11 batters she faced to secure the victory. 

The Cowgirls play another double-header Sunday starting at 3:30 p.m. CT with games against Texas A&M Corpus-Christi and Tarleton State.

(Pokes Report publisher Robert Allen contributed to this story.)