Dominant pitching and Naomi’s first inning home run gives Cowgirls series sweep vs Baylor

Calif Poncy Staff Reporter

From the beginning, the Cowgirls were dominant.

In the final game of its first Big 12 series of the season, No. 2 OSU defeated No. 20 Baylor 5-1.

In the first inning, OSU got off to a flying start, retiring the Bears’ first three batters, and scoring four runs, mostly thanks to a three-run shot from shortstop Kiley Naomi, giving her her eighth home run of the season.

“Here today, it was easy to see, it was big,” said OSU coach Kenny Gajewski. “That kind of just took the wind out of their sails.”

After OSU’s opening push, the Bears were never able to get back into it. Cowgirls pitcher Kelly Maxwell was a big reason for OSU’s success, holding Baylor to just three hits, and pitching a shutout before being subbed out midway through the fifth inning.

Lexi Kilfoyl came in for the final two innings, and she picked up right where Maxwell left off, not allowing

Baylor to get a hit during her time in the circle. The only reason the Bears were able to score was an error by first baseman Micaela Wark, who was unable to secure a grounder at first that, if caught, would have eliminated any opportunity for BU to score.

“She’s been great, we should have been out of that with no runs, we just botched the play at first,” Gajewski said. “She came in and slammed the door and it was awesome to see.”

Between Naomi’s homer and the pitching duo of Maxwell and Kilfoyl disposing of batters, the Cowgirls were able to easily secure a sweep in their first Big 12 series of the season. With a 29-2 record, and a convincing series win over the No.20 team in the nation, OSU is headed into the meat of their schedule brimming with confidence. “It makes us have that confidence going forward,” said second baseman Rachel Becker. “Starting off, especially against Baylor who’s a pretty good opponent in out conference, knowing that we can sweep them, that to me makes me feel like we can sweep anyone.”