Oklahoma State softball sweeps doubleheader vs. South Dakota State in home opener

scott wright, the oklahoman

Wed, Feb 28, 2024, 3:29 AM·3 min read

After hitting five runs in the opener, Oklahoma State kept the ball in the yard during a 10-0 run-rule victory over South Dakota State in the nightcap of the Tuesday doubleheader.

With a cold front coming through in between games, the wind switched directions and began blowing in strongly from left field, so the Cowgirls relied on mostly singles for their ninth straight win.

OSU took a 3-0 lead in the first inning, getting two-out singles from Micaela Wark and Lexi Kilfoyl, the latter driving in two runs.

Then the Cowgirls brought in six runs in the third inning, using a double, a single, a bases-loaded walk, a sacrifice fly and an infield single to score a run apiece. And the final run of the inning scored when Jilyen Poullard stole home on a double-steal.

Caroline Wang’s RBI double was the only extra-base hit among the Cowgirls’ nine hits in the game.

Poullard drew a bases-loaded walk in the fourth for OSU’s final run.

Kilfoyl pitched three shutout innings, extending her scoreless-inning streak to 24 straight and improving her record to 7-2. She allowed two hits and a walk with three strikeouts.

Katie Kutz finished the game with two perfect innings.

More: Why Oklahoma State softball pitcher Ivy Rosenberry's strong start is a pleasant surprise

Cowgirls get run-rule win in opener

Oklahoma State softball finished its home opener early thanks to a sixth-inning explosion that culminated with Haidyn Sokoloski’s first career home run.

The Cowgirl sophomore outfielder hit a three-run homer to left-center field to cap a seven-run bottom of the sixth inning, which finished off the 11-2 run-rule victory over South Dakota State on Tuesday evening at Cowgirl Stadium.

The win was OSU’s eighth in a row, with a chance to add No. 9 later Tuesday night in the nightcap of the doubleheader against the Jackrabbits.

OSU sophomore pitcher Kyra Aycock allowed two runs on three hits, going the distance to improve her record to 3-0.

Six OSU batters had at least two hits, and four had home runs, with Caroline Wang hitting her team-best fifth. Micaela Wark and Karli Godwin homered as well.

Wark’s two-run home run in the second inning put the Cowgirls on the board, and Wang made the lead 4-0 with a massive solo shot beyond the outfield decks in left field in the third.

South Dakota State scratched out a pair of runs in the top of the sixth before the Cowgirl offense ended the game in the bottom half.

More: Is Oklahoma State baseball two-way star Carson Benge's pitching role becoming clearer?