OSU Cowgirls Softball’s Hopes of Big 12 Tourney Title Unravel in One Inning

For nearly two months, Oklahoma State pitcher Ruby Meylan had been as dominant as any pitcher in college softball.

In one inning on Friday night in Oklahoma City, Arizona State made her look human.

The No. 6 seeded Sun Devils upended the No. 2 seeded Cowgirls, 11-7, in the second semifinal game of the Big 12 Tournament in Oklahoma City. The start of the game was delayed for nearly an hour due to thunderstorms in the Oklahoma City area. The first pitch wasn’t thrown until just before 8 p.m. central.

By 9 p.m., the Cowgirls (38-19) were down 6-0 to the Sun Devils (40-16), who will play No. 1 seed Texas Tech at 11 a.m. on Saturday for the Big 12 Tournament title.

Oklahoma State’s Roll Interrupted

No quit. #GoPokes pic.twitter.com/JlnAPs7W25
— OSU Cowgirl Softball (@cowgirlsb) May 9, 2026

Meylan hadn’t lost a decision since mid-March against BYU. Leading up winning co-pitcher of the year honors from the Big 12, she had won 16 straight games, including a seven-day stretch in which she authored wins over four ranked teams, including No. 1 Oklahoma.

The second inning became a disaster for Meylan and the Cowgirls. Arizona State’s Katie Chester led off with a single. After an ASU groundout, Meylan hit the Sun Devils’ Yazzy Avila with a pitch. With two runners on and one out, the dam broke.

Brooklyn Ulrich singled home Chester. Tiare HoChing singled home Avila. Then Tanya Windle blew the inning open with a three-run home run to center field, making it 5-0 Sun Devils.

An OSU error allowed Kaylee Pond to reach base, followed by Samanthan Swan’s RBI double, which scored Pond. Down 6-0, head coach Kenny Gajewski changed pitchers, bringing in RyLee Crandall.

Meylan recorded just four outs and allowed six hits and six runs (five earned). She struck out one and walked none.

OSU tried to rally. The Cowgirls cut the lead to 6-2 after four innings, thanks to Audrey Schneidmiller. She singled home a run in the second inning and singled home another run in the fourth. It gave Oklahoma State some hope. But the Sun Devils fired right back in the fifth with a a pair of two-run home runs from Ashleigh Mejia and Ulrich to make it 10-2.

Oklahoma State scored four more runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Cowgirls never got close enough to make the Sun Devils sweat.

Ulrich finished with three hits and three RBI for Arizona State, while Chester and Windle each had two hits. Windle also drove in three runs. Meika Lauppe took the victory as she pitched 4.1. innings, allowing nine hits and six runs (five earned).

Lexi McDonald had three hits for OSU. Karli Godwin and Schneidmiller each had two hits. Rosie Davis scored three runs.

2026 Big 12 Softball Tournament Schedule, Results

(at Devon Park, Oklahoma City)

Thursday’s Results

Game 1 – No. 5 Kansas 6, No. 4 UCF 5

Game 2 – No. 1 Texas Tech 7, No. 8 Baylor 0

Game 3 – No. 2 Oklahoma State 7, No. 7 Utah 0

Game 4 – No. 3 Arizona vs. No. 6 Arizona State – 7:30 p.m. CT

Friday’s Games

Game 5: No. 1 Texas Tech 14, No. 5 Kansas (five innings)

Game 6: No. 6 Arizona State 11, No. 2 Oklahoma State 7

Saturday’s Game

No. 1 Texas Tech vs. No. 6 Arizona State - 11 a.m. CT (ESPN)

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