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Trendbreakers: A statistical dive into OSU softball's trend-breaking Bedlam series win

ryan breeden, stillwater newspress, okla.
·4 min read

May 6—This weekend, Oklahoma State marched into Norman and did something that nobody has been able to do in a long time. Oklahoma has been the Goliath of the softball world for the last decade. They never lose at home. Except this time, they did.

The Cowgirls used a tandem of elite power hitting and opportune pitching to take games one and two in the series, securing the series win. Though OSU lost Sunday's finale 8-2, the point was already made.

I decided to dig up some facts and stats that convey truly how historic the series win was for head coach Kenny Gajewski and the Cowgirls.

Big Picture2010: was the last time OSU won a series over OU. That same season was also the last time that the Cowgirls had won back-to-back games against the Sooners before now.

1997: was the last time Oklahoma State won a series in Norman.

April 14-15, 2006: Texas beat Oklahoma in a series in Norman, which was the last time OU lost a home series before this weekend.

3-4: is Oklahoma State's record against Oklahoma since 2022. Texas is the only other team to beat OU more than once in that span.

74: all-time wins in the Bedlam softball series for Oklahoma State.

Other Stats4: run margin of victory Saturday afternoon represented OSU's largest margin of victory against OU since 1996, and its largest in Norman since 1993.

12: combined runs from Oklahoma State's explosive offense in games one and two. It is the second time since 1989 scoring 12 combined runs in two games against OU (2021 was the other, but OSU lost both games).

4: home runs hit on Saturday ties OSU's most in a Bedlam game since at least 2000.

5: combined runs allowed in games one and two, which is the fewest a Cowgirl pitching staff has given up to the Sooners over a two-game span since 2017.

100.0: innings pitched on the season for OSU pitcher Ivy Rosenberry. Before Sunday's game, she was at 95.2 innings on the season. For a pitcher to be eligible for All-American consideration, they must reach either 100.0 innings pitched in the regular season or account for 30% of team innings. Sunday was her last chance of getting there.

Gajewski sat down with Rosenberry and her mom, Kim, before Sunday's game and said, "Your numbers are good, you're going to be in a conversation for All-American stuff. You have to get to 100. This is in your hands."

The entire team and personnel were aware of what needed to be done, and everyone was on board. She needed 4.1 innings, and she likely wasn't coming out until she got there. Despite a broken rib on the right side, Rosenberry gutted out 4.1 innings and was met with hugs, and some tears, as she walked off the field with her 100.0 innings. Ivy Rosenberry is now eligible for All-American nomination.

Her injury was described as something that she "can't make worse." It's all about tolerating the pain — which doesn't come from her actual pitching motion, it's when she breathes.

"We're working on her with her techniques there," Gajewski said. "We're gonna work on some more of that stuff and try to help her. It's just the Cowgirl way, it's toughness."

Oklahoma State is right there among the top teams in the country and should have a great chance at being a top-eight national seed. That would of course come with the right to host a regional and a super regional, should it advance.

RESUME BUILDER4: wins against the No. 1 and No. 2 ranked teams in the country is the most of any other team by a longshot.

7: wins against current top 11 teams, which includes wins over Texas (twice), OU (twice), UCLA, Washington and Florida.

19-1: at home this season, which is behind just Virginia Tech (17-0) for best home record amongst power five teams.

10-1: in the last 11 games overall.

The Softball America poll released an updated version on Sunday night, and the Cowgirls were ranked No. 3, behind Texas and Tennessee.

The selection committee will certainly have its hands full next Sunday, May 12, when it locks in the top 16 seeds and announces the regional matchups. There's a legit argument for 11 or 12 teams that deserve top eight seeds. But, with the resume attached to the name, Oklahoma State is hard to ignore.

The Cowgirls will now prepare themselves for the second round of the Big 12 tournament, where they will face BYU at 11 a.m. Thursday. With a win, a possible Bedlam rematch in the Big 12 semifinals would be on the horizon.