Cowgirls Sweep A Pair Of Games To Open Mizuno Classic

Friday, March 3

Stillwater, OK

4:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

9-8

Abilene Christian

8-10

Abilene Christian

OKLAHOMA STATE

March 03, 2017 | Cowgirl Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

STILLWATER, Okla. ---- Oklahoma State Softball swept a pair of games Friday to kick off the Mizuno Classic at Cowgirl Stadium. The Cowgirls defeated Abilene Christian, 5-3, before taking down Northern Iowa, 5-3, in the second game in front of an announced crowd of 603.

The Cowgirls fell behind early in both games but fought back for a pair of comeback victories.

"It's kind of cool when there are other teams around," head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "It's cool being able to watch other games. You get to see stuff that's different from the norm. For us we do this this tournament thing a lot early in the year. It was a good atmosphere here again. It was another great crowd.

Jessi Haffner was the difference maker in the first game as she blasted a two-out home run in the bottom of the fifth over the left field fence to score Taylor Lynch and give the Cowgirls the 5-3 lead they wouldn't give up.

Oklahoma State (10-8) fell behind early after ACU got on the board with two runs in the first thanks to a two-out triple.

The Cowgirls responded with two runs in the bottom of the first thanks to back-to-back RBI hits from Vanessa Shippy and Lynch to tie the game at 2-2 after one. OSU added another run in the third thanks to an RBI single from Alex Edinger to score Lynch and make it 3-2.

The Wildcats tied the game again in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single before Haffner's home run in the fifth.

Haffner led the way at the plate for OSU going 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Lynch also shined at the plate going 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Brandi Needham (6-3) earned the win in the circle for OSU going seven innings, allowing just six hits while striking out five. The complete game was her third of the year. She now needs just one more win to tie her total wins from last season.

"She's just a kid who works really hard," Gajewski said. "I think it being her second year, she's a little bit more comfortable in what we're asking her to do. We've shored up just a couple things for her, get her to execute a little better. We just have continue to grow, and I'm just real happy she has been able to bounce back."

The second game was a similar comeback story for the Cowgirls. Northern Iowa jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the third before OSU responded with five of their own in the bottom half to take a 5-3 lead it wouldn't surrender.

In the five-run fourth inning, OSU responded with RBI hits from Rylee Bayless, Shippy and Kristin Reasnor.

Logan Simunek (4-1) earned the victory in the circle for the Cowgirls. She went 4.2 innings allowing just four hits and no runs in relief of Whitney Whitehorn.

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Up Next: The Cowgirls return to action for the second day of the Mizuno Classic with a doubleheader against Tennessee Tech and Abilene Christian starting at 4:00 pm. Fans can watch on okstate.com/live or follow with live stats on okstate.com or on Twitter (@CowgirlSB).