In a battle of future Big 12 powerhouse softball programs, it was Kenny Gajewski’s Oklahoma State Cowgirls that got the better of Arizona, run-ruling the Wildcats 8-0 on Friday night.
The win moves Oklahoma State to 48-10 on the year and puts them in position to go back to the Women’s College World Series with just one more win.
The Cowgirls’ combination of explosive plate appearances and Lexi Kilfoyl in the circle has proven a deadly combination all season long, and that continued to be the case tonight. Kilfoyl went all five innings in the circle for Oklahoma State, allowing just three hits with one BB and three Ks on the night.
Meanwhile, the Pokes’ offense put consistent pressure on Arizona by scoring in the first, third, and fourth innings. They jumped out to a two-run lead in the first on a sac fly from Caroline Wang and an RBI single from Karli Godwin.
Godwin got back in on the action in the third with a solo homer to make it 3-0, Pokes, before a big inning in the fourth blew things wide open.
Claire Timm and Micaela Wark had back-to-back shots to open the fourth inning, not only moving the score to 5-0 but also ending Aissa Silva’s night after just 2.0 innings of work. After the Wildcats opted for Ali Blanchard, the Pokes offense went back to work, tacking on three more runs courtesy of Megan Bloodworth (Sac Fly), Karli Godwin (HBP), and Rosie Davis (FC).
Oklahoma State’s dominant victory puts all the pressure on unseeded Arizona heading into Saturday, as the Wildcats will have to transition into win-or-go-home mode. Meanwhile, the Pokes can rest Kilfoyl if they see fit and have set themselves up for a great chance at successfully getting back to Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma State and Arizona are set for a 6:00 p.m. CT first pitch on Saturday, with coverage provided on ESPN2.
