Oklahoma State Cowgirl Softball had a great past week as they defeated No. 1 Oklahoma and beat No. 16 Arizona in this weekend’s series in Stillwater, two games to one
STILLWATER, Okla. — In packed sports weekend in Stillwater, the No. 21 Oklahoma State Cowgirls softball team defeated No. 16 Arizona in a hard fought three-game series, winning two of three to improve to 30-12 overall and 11-7 in conference play.
The series dub came on the heels of one of the program’s biggest wins of the season aS the Cowgirls earned a stunning 6-4 upset of No. 1 Oklahoma earlier in the week on April 15.
There, senior pitching ace Ruby Meylan threw a complete-game gem with nine strikeouts on 133 pitches, limiting the Sooners offense to just four runs (two earned) and securing OSU’s first victory over the nation’s top team in recent memory.
This weekend’s Arizona series showed that the Cowgirls’ were immune to a big win hangover and Meylan’s dominance continued.
Entering the weekend ranked No. 21, Oklahoma State sat in the upper tier of the Big 12 standings alongside teams like Kansas (also 11-7), trailing leaders such as Texas Tech while battling for positioning ahead of the postseason. Head coach Kenny Gajewski, now in his 11th season at the helm, has once again steered the program toward contention.
Gajewski, who has guided OSU to multiple Women’s College World Series appearances and a Big 12 title in the conference era, has done an outstanding job this year molding a veteran group around key returners and transfers. His emphasis on pitching depth and big hitting has kept the Cowgirls competitive in the league despite some early inconsistencies.
Game 1: Friday, April 17 – Oklahoma State 8, Arizona 7 (10 innings)
The series opener turned into a marathon extra innings thriller lasting nearly five hours, including a lengthy lightning delay. Meylan set a new career high with 160 pitches in a complete 10 inning effort, striking out five while allowing seven runs (five earned) on 10 hits.
The Cowgirls jumped out to a 4-0 lead after three innings thanks to strong early contact. Arizona clawed back, tying the game with a dramatic two run homer in the seventh when down to its final out.
In the 10th, with the bases loaded and two outs, Tia Warsop delivered the walk-off RBI single, plating Rosie Davis for the 8-7 victory.
OSU pounded out 19 hits in the contest. Meylan earned her 19th win of the season in the process.
Game 2: Saturday, April 18 – Arizona 9, Oklahoma State 1 (5 innings)
The Wildcats responded with a decisive run-rule victory. Arizona’s Jalen Adams (18-6) pitched a complete game, limiting the Cowgirls to just one run on limited hits.
OSU starter Rylee Crandall took the loss after allowing multiple runs early, with Preslee Downing relieving her.
The Wildcats erupted for nine runs, capitalizing on defensive miscues and timely hitting to improve to 31-12 overall. The shortened contest gave the Cowgirls’ bullpen some rest heading into the rubber match, though it dropped OSU to 29-12 (10-7 Big 12) at that point.
Game 3: Sunday, April 19 – Oklahoma State 7, Arizona 5
Meylan returned on short rest for the rubber match and delivered once again, improving to 20-6 on the season. She pitched seven innings, allowing five runs on six hits despite being struck on her throwing hand by a line drive in the later innings. After a brief check by trainers, she gutted out the final outs to secure the series-clinching win.
Offensively, the Cowgirls rallied with extra-base hits, including a two-run homer from Audrey Schneidmiller that proved to be the dealbreaker.
Arizona managed just one more run after an early surge, falling to 31-13 (12-6 Big 12).
The victory pushed OSU back to 30-12 and 11-7 in the standings, solidifying their position as a real deal tournament contender.
Meylan has been nothing short of phenomenal for the Cowgirls this season. Through mid-April, she sported a 2.32 ERA with over 162 strikeouts in roughly 165 innings pitched, frequently logging heavy workloads and earning multiple Big 12 Pitcher of the Week honors. Her ability to go deep into games, highlighted by complete game efforts and low walk totals, has anchored OSU’s pitching.
Historically, Meylan already ranks among the elite in Oklahoma State softball lore. In her previous season alone, she posted a 21-10 record with a 1.81 ERA and 238 strikeouts (ninth on the program’s single-season list), while ranking among the nation’s leaders in wins above replacement.
Her career strikeout totals and durability place her on track to join the program’s all-time greats in the circle.
The series win over a top 25 foe, combined with the midweek Bedlam win, continues to build the Cowgirls’ momentum under Gajewski as they head down the stretch.
With a deep roster featuring contributors like Warsop, Davis, Schneidmiller, and Karli Godwin, OSU remains a threat to make noise in the Big 12.
Up next for Oklahoma State is a midweek contest at Texas on Wednesday, April 22, followed by a three-game series at Baylor.
The Cowgirls will look to build on their recent success and keep climbing the conference ladder.