Oklahoma State Softball Emptied Tank in Falling Short of WCWS
This isn't how the Oklahoma State Cowgirls softball team wanted things to end. But then again only one softball team in the country gets to end the season the way they want.
The Cowgirls (41-17) headed back to Stillwater Saturday night after their 9-1 loss to the Nebraska Cornhuskers (51-6) in Game 2 of their super regional series in Lincoln knowing they erased the memory of last year's bitter regional loss to Arkansas but knowing that they fell short of their goal of returning to Oklahoma City.
Another trip to the Women’s College World Series will have to wait. After five straight seasons of reaching the WCWS, the drought now extends to two seasons.
“We ran out of gas,” Oklahoma State coach Kenny Gajewski said on Saturday in his postgame comments per The Oklahoman. “I just think Ruby (Meylan) was out of gas. We rode her to get her and I’m thankful for what she poured into this place.”
Oklahoma State’s Super Regional Losses
Pitcher Ruby Meylan will be remembered fondly for her two incredible seasons in Stillwater. But in her two super regional starts she was pulled during from both games and she gave up a career-high seven runs in Game 1, an 8-1 loss. While the rain delay that suspended Game 1 from Thursday to Friday likely didn’t help, in both starts her pitches lost her bite later in the game.
Against a potent Nebraska lineup, she went a combined 6.2 innings, giving up 15 hits, 13 runs and three walks against only four strikeouts. The Cowgirl defense committed four errors behind her. The bats went cold for the first time in weeks, as the Cowgirls only scored one run in the super regional on eight hits across two games. That was after batting .372 in regionals last weekend.
Gajewski spent considerable time during his post-game press conference talking about his senior. That list includes Meylan, Amanda Hasler, Lexi McDonald, Claire Timm, Audrey Schneidmiller, Melina Wilkinson, Macy Graf and RyLee Crandall.
This will look like a far different team next season. Crandall was the No. 2 pitcher on the team, a Baylor transfer who played her final two seasons in Stillwater. Hasler settled into a designated player role so the Cowgirls could keep her bat in the lineup. Schneidmiller was the catcher, Timm played outfield and was one of the hottest batters in the lineup until it cooled in super regionals. McDonald emerged at first base at midseason.
In all, the Cowgirls lose four everyday players and their top two pitchers. Gajewski and his staff will have work to do this offseason.
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Matthew Postins is the publisher of Oklahoma State on SI. He is an award-winning sports journalist who was formerly the editor of the College Football America Yearbook and covers the Big 12 Conference for Heartland College Sports.
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