Cowgirls Take Two To Secure Series Win Over Kansas

Friday, March 31

Stillwater, OK

4:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

23-11, 0

Kansas

19-15, 0

Kansas

OKLAHOMA STATE

March 31, 2017 | Cowgirl Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

STILLWATER, Okla. ---- Oklahoma State softball improved to 5-0 in Big 12 play after sweeping Kansas in a doubleheader Friday at Cowgirl Stadium. The Cowgirls won the first game, 7-1, and defeated the Jayhawks, 1-0, in the nightcap.

Oklahoma State is off to its best start in conference play since 2010, when the Cowgirls went 9-0 to open league play. This marks the first time since 2013 OSU has won back-to-back conference series. The Cowgirls did so against Texas and Kansas that year, as well.

Senior pitchers Brandi Needham and Shea Coats were dynamic in the circle. The pair allowed a run on nine hits while striking out 11. They also combined for just two walks.

"Good day," head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "When we pitch like this we got a chance to win a lot of games. I thought that Brandi was solid. I thought that Shea was outstanding. First game we swung the bats really well. 5-0, that's all we can ask for. Have a chance to go 6-0. I told our team. Tomorrow is the most important game we played all year. It's not do or die, but it's the most important game. We got a chance to start 6-0 and that's the bottom line."

The Cowgirls (24-11 Overall, 5-0 Big 12) started the day in impressive fashion. After Kansas took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, OSU never looked back on its way to a victory.

Oklahoma State responded with three runs in the bottom of the first thanks to a Vanessa Shippy RBI on a fielder's choice followed by Kristin Reasnor's two-run home run to make it 3-1 OSU after one.

The Cowgirls continued their scoring ways in the bottom of the second on a solo home run by Randee O'Donnell to extend the lead to 4-1. Reasnor singled later in the inning to bring home Taylor Lynch and make it 5-1 after two innings.

Rylee Bayless drew a walk with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third to make it 6-1. Jessi Haffner's RBI double in the bottom of the sixth gave OSU the 7-1 lead it wouldn't give up.

Reasnor led the way at the plate going 3-for-4 with three RBIs. O'Donnell also shined going 1-for-2 with the solo homer.

Needham (11-4) threw her eighth complete game of the year in the victory. She allowed just five hits while striking out one.

The second game was decided in the first inning thanks to Shippy's RBI single that would prove to be the only run OSU needed to secure the series win.

Kansas (19-16, 1-4) looked to mount a comeback effort in the top of the sixth when it got its first runner to third but Coats shut them down with a strikeout to end the inning.

Coats (5-4) threw her second complete game of the year in the winning effort. She Allowed just four hits while striking out an OSU season-high 10 batters.

"Take it one pitch at a time, one out at a time," Coats said. "Execute that pitch. Make that the best pitch that it can be at that moment. That's really my mentality throughout the game, and that really helps me stay within myself."

Shippy led the way at the plate going 2-for-2 with an RBI and a walk.

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Up Next: OSU returns to action Saturday for the series finale against Kansas at 1 p.m. Fans can watch a live video stream of the game on okstate.com/live or listen on 105.5 FM in Stillwater. Live stats will be available on okstate.com and updates will be on Twitter (@CowgirlSB).