Texas softball takes three-game series from skidding Cowgirls

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas threw itself into the spotlight Saturday by taking a doubleheader from Oklahoma State, 3-2 and 5-2, Saturday afternoon at McCombs Field.

With the losses, OSU fell to 39-8 and 8-4 in Big 12 play, while Texas moved to 39-9-1 and 11-4 against conference opposition. Texas had won Friday’s opener 1-0 in 10 innings.

Runs were hard to come by in the series including Saturday’s game one as Kelly Maxwell and Texas’ starter Citlaly Gutierrez held opposing offenses scoreless through two innings.

The Cowgirls struck first with one run in the third inning, following a leadoff single from freshman Tallen Edwards. A base on balls advanced her to second, then an RBI single from Katelynn Carwile brought Edwards home to put OSU on the board, 1-0.

Maxwell was in All-American form in the circle, striking out nine and maintaining a no-hitter into the seventh.

A two-out single from Tallen Edwards in the sixth inning improved the left fielder to 3-for-3 on the day, her fourth three-hit performance of the season. Taylor Tuck capitalized with an RBI double to left field to bring home Edwards and extend the advantage, 2-0.

The Longhorns broke Maxwell’s no-hit bid with a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh inning. Following another base-hit from Texas, the Longhorns’ catcher Reese Atwood ended the game with a walk-off three-run blast to clinch the series victory.

In game two, the Cowgirls promptly responded by loading the bases but however couldn’t bring any runs across in the first.

OSU turned to freshman Kyra Aycock in the circle in the latter half of its doubleheader in Austin.

UT got on the board first following two consecutive base-hits in the second inning to grab an early 1-0 lead. The Longhorns added another in the third inning following an OSU error.

Texas extended its lead in the fifth inning, capitalizing on a bases-loaded situation with a three-RBI single to put the Longhorns up, 5-0.

The Cowgirls refused to go quietly and rattled off a pair of runs in the sixth.

A leadoff single from Carwile opened the inning, who advanced to second after a walk from Chyenne Factor. Following a single from Micaela Wark to load the bases, OSU took advantage of a UT error and plated two runs to cut the deficit, 5-2.

OSU looks to get back on track with a road series against Texas Tech from April 28-30. Game one is slated for a 6:30 p.m. CT first pitch in Lubbock, Texas; fans can tune in via radio on The Varsity Network.

After Friday’s tense opener, fans knew it was going to be an interesting series. Oklahoma State had its best scoring chance in the first inning Friday following base hits from Kiley Naomi and Morgyn Wynne. A two-out walk from Katelynn Carwile loaded the bases for the Cowgirls, but they couldn’t capitalize and the left the frame empty-handed.

In her 14th start as a Cowgirl, Kilfoyl set the tone against the Longhorns with a hitless seven-pitch first inning.

Kilfoyl was perfect through 4.1 innings until the Longhorns drew a walk to get their first baserunner of the game.

An OSU fielding error and a groundout put runners on second and third, but Kilfoyl recorded one of her seven strikeouts of the evening to escape the jam.

Rachel Becker extended her on-base streak to 45 games and her hitting streak to 21 games with a full-count base knock in the top of the seventh.

Texas’ first hit of the contest did not come until its half of the seventh; a single through the left side that ended Kilfoyl’s no-hitter bid. The OSU defense responded with three consecutive outs, including a strikeout from Kilfoyl, to send the game into extra innings.

Following a leadoff strikeout, Kilfoyl’s seventh of the contest, Texas responded with two singles and a walk to load the bases. The Longhorns nabbed the win with an RBI base-hit that ended the game in walk-off fashion, 1-0.