Cowgirls Softball Preview: OSU Hosts Stillwater Regional Opener vs. EIU

The Oklahoma State Cowgirls are back at home where they’re most comfortable to start the NCAA Tournament.

The Stillwater Regional begins on Friday, with OSU facing Eastern Illinois and Stanford facing Princeton. The winner of the double-elimination tournament advances to super regionals. The Cowgirls are driven to get back after a one-year absence.

Oklahoma State plays well at home in the postseason. In NCAA regional games at home the Cowgirls are 57-30. Dating back to the AIAW days, the record is 133-77.

There is an opportunity for a big rematch on Saturday if the first round goes to the higher seeds. It would give the Cowgirls a chance to exercise a measure of revenge for an earlier loss this season.

Here is a preview of the Cowgirls’ first game of the tournament, including the complete schedule, TV information and more.

Stillwater Regional

Oklahoma State infielder Karli Godwin laughs at the crowd during a game. — Oklahoma State infielder Karli Godwin. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Cowgirl Stadium, Stillwater, Okla.

Regional Schedule

Friday’s Games

Game 1 – 1 p.m. CT – Princeton vs. Stanford (ESPN2)

Game 2 – 3:30 p.m. CT – Eastern Illinois at Oklahoma State (ESPN+)

Saturday’s Games

Game 3 – Noon CT - Winner G1 vs. Winner G2

Game 4 – 2:30 p.m. CT - Loser G1 vs. Loser G2

Game 5 – 5 p.m. CT - Winner G4 vs. Loser G3

Sunday’s Games

Game 6 – 3 p.m. CT - Winner G3 vs. Winner G5

Game 7 – 5:30 p.m. CT - Winner G6 vs. Loser G6 (if necessary)

Radio/Audio: KGFY 105.5 FM/Varsity Network app

Records: Oklahoma State, 38-15; Stanford, 37-13; Princeton, 33-13; Eastern Illinois, 36-21.

National Rankings: Oklahoma State, No. 15/15; Stanford: No. 14/17

At Stake: The winner of the regional advances to super regionals to face the winner of the Lincoln Regional, hosted by Nebraska.

Previewing Oklahoma State

The Cowgirls are coming off a semifinal loss in the Big 12 Tournament to Arizona State, which cooled OSU off just a bit. But OSU has won 21 of its last 26 games.

Oklahoma State did enough to secure a home regional after having to go on the road last year to Arkansas. OSU’s Tia Warsop should be available for the regional, in the words of her head coach Kenny Gajewski. Nearly the entire everyday lineup is batting over .300. Rosie Davis is the only player in the lineup with a batting average better than .300, along with 10 or more doubles and home runs.

Pitcher Ruby Meylan was roughed up in her last outing. But she enters the postseason with a 27-7 record and a 2.11 ERA. She’s likely to be in the circle the entire series.

The Rest of the Field

Stanford is the most likely team that will stand in OSU’s way of getting back to super regionals. The Cardinal and the Cowgirls played each other twice in February and Stanford won both games. Stanford is 10-6 all-time against OSU, but the Cowgirls are 2-1 in Stillwater.

Eastern Illinois won the Ohio Valley Conference title for the second straight year and hasn’t played OSU since a doubleheader in 1989. OSU is 2-0 against the Panthers. If Oklahoma State faces the Ivy League champs, Princeton, OSU has a 2-0 record all-time, but the two teams have not played each other since 2005.

Add us as a preferred source on Google