
Cowgirls Prepare for the Big 12 Championships, But Can't Help But Think ...
STILLWATER – It’s been a long season that started all the way back in February with a trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The ups and downs have been many on this road for head coach Kenny Gajewski and the Cowgirls. A team that Gajewski last fall called, “perhaps the best I’ve had here at Oklahoma State” has rallied back winning six-of-their-last-seven to go 33-17 and 13-9 in the Big 12. The Cowgirls open up in Oklahoma City as the fourth-seed against fifth-seed Arizona State. The focus needs to be on winning each step and trying to claim their second Big 12 Championship which they won in 2022 beating No. 1 Oklahoma 4-3 in the final.
With the Sooners and Texas gone to the SEC, it figured this was the Cowgirls tournament to dominate in the future. They need to this season because as it stands now, they won’t be hosting a regional in the NCAA Championships coming up. I asked Gajewski if he stays away from thinking about winning the Big 12 in order to host a regional for the fifth straight season helping them get back to Oklahoma City for the Women’s College World Series.

“I would be an idiot and a liar if I didn’t tell you that I think about it,” Gajewski said of winning the Big 12 and coming back to Stillwater. “I can give you the coach speak and it is Arizona State and that’s it. Right now it is. Have I thought about it, yes, I’ve thought about it. If we do this or we do that then maybe. But it’s ifs and buts … We’re focused on Arizona State and if we are thinking about any other then we are probably going to get beat. This team hasn’t shown me they can think about other (things) and win.”
Arizona State finished 34-18 on the season and 14-10 in Big 12 play. The Cowgirls stopped in Tempe on their way to play Arizona in a conference series and played the Sun Devils in a non conference game and won 4-0.
“I think it helps us tremendously,” Gajewski said of that one game meeting. “It is not really why I set it up, but when I saw who we were going to play (in the Big 12) I was glad I set up that game.
“They have the same info on us, but anytime hitters can face pitching that should be a good thing,” Gajewski added. “The more the hitters see an arm the better it usually is.”
Now, the Sun Devils line up saw All-Big 12 pitcher Ruby Meylan too. However, she saw them as well and shut them down.

“Looking back at that game, I think rolled like 14-or-15 ground balls (outs) and I didn’t have a ton of strike outs, so I think going into this game trying to make myself a little different,” Meylan said. I don’t know what Carrie (Eberle-pitching coach) and Coach G’s plan is going to be with pitch calling and stuff like that. I know I’m going to have to go at them a little differently.”
Well, maybe. Meylan’s line from that game was seven innings pitched, four hits, no runs, three walks and three strike outs. I would think the tall right-hander would take that again. I’m positive Eberle and Gajewski would.
The game starts at 11 a.m. and with a win the Cowgirls likely see Texas Tech in a semifinal and million dollar Lady Raider pitcher NiJaree Canady.