OSU softball caps 3-0 sweep of Kansas

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The No. 2 Oklahoma State softball team scored early and often in its series sweep of Kansas Saturday as the Cowgirls posted a 7-0 shutout at Arrocha Ballpark.

Win the win, OSU improved to 35-3 and 6-0 in Big 12 play, while Kansas fell to 19-17 and 1-5 against conference opposition.

For the 22nd time this season, the Cowgirls took the lead in the first inning.

Following a single from Chyenne Factor and a Kansas fielding error, Micaela Wark brought home OSU’s first run of the game with a sacrifice fly.

Back-to-back doubles from Katelynn Carwile and Morgyn Wynne each scored a run, while freshman Katie Lott extended the lead to four with an RBI single of her own.

True freshman Kyra Aycock continued her stellar freshman season as she improved to 8-0 with 6.1 shutout innings, striking out five batters in the process.

The Pokes posted a three-spot in the second inning to conclude their scoring for the afternoon. Leading off the inning, Rachel Becker launched her second homer in OSU colors to add another run, 5-0.

After a base-hit and a stolen base from Kiley Naomi, Wark tallied her second RBI with a single to right field that scored Naomi. Wynne tacked on OSU’s seventh, and final, run of the game with an RBI single that brought home Wark.

Ivy Rosenberry came in to shut the door in the seventh, as the Virginia Tech transfer secured the final two outs to clinch the sweep.

The two former Jayhawks on the OSU roster, Wark and Wynne, led the way in the series sweep as they pair combined for four RBI on the day.

The Cowgirls outscored the Jayhawks 19-6 and outhit them 26-18 over the course of the weekend.

Up next, Oklahoma State is slated for a five-game home stretch starting with Tulsa on Tuesday at 6 p.m. CT.

The Cowgirls had clinched the series Friday with a 5-1 victory as Kelly Maxwell improved to 12-0 with an impressive six-inning, two-hit performance. The southpaw struck out 11 Jayhawks, her eighth double-digit strikeout outing of the season.

The game remained scoreless until the fifth inning, when Kiley Naomi blasted her team-leading ninth home run of the season.

The graduate shortstop sent one over the left field wall – a two-run shot – to put OSU ahead, 2-0. On the day, Naomi was the Cowgirls’ leader at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI.

Rachel Becker added much-needed insurance in the sixth as she smacked her 13th double of the season that brought home Chyenne Factor to extend the advantage to 3-0.

The Cowgirls grew their lead in the seventh, as Morgyn Wynne and Katelynn Carwile each tallied RBIs to round out the scoring for OSU, 5-0.

The Jayhawks got one back in the bottom of the seventh, but reliever Kyra Aycock finished the inning to clinch the series against KU, 5-1.

In only 37 games this season, Becker has already passed her previous season-high in RBI as the Purdue transfer notched her 18th RBI of the season in the sixth inning – while currently riding a six-game RBI streak.