Why Michigan softball was 'wild card' choice for Oklahoma State's NCAA Stillwater Regional
STILLWATER — As he watched college softball’s NCAA Tournament selection show, Oklahoma State coach Kenny Gajewski thought he saw what was coming.
And he was half right.
But before the pick he expected, the committee threw the Cowgirls a curveball.
The Cowgirls were named the No. 5 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament, and the top seed in the Stillwater Regional, which includes second-seeded Kentucky and third-seeded Michigan — the latter being the surprise.
“I had a feeling we’d get Kentucky as we were sitting in there and watching everything unfold,” Gajewski said. “Michigan was a wild card to see them pop in there.”
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The double-elimination tournament begins Friday at Cowgirl Stadium, with Kentucky and Michigan set for a 2 p.m. start. OSU and fourth-seeded Northern Colorado play at 4:30 p.m.
When he spoke to the media Sunday night, Gajewski was preparing for a crash course on Northern Colorado. But Kentucky and Michigan are more visible programs.
The Wildcats, despite finishing 12th among the 13 programs in the Southeastern Conference standings, won 30 games and ended the season at No. 28 in the RPI.
Michigan won the Big Ten Tournament title over the weekend and is 37th in RPI.
Gajewski, a self-proclaimed softball junkie, says he’s seen Kentucky on television more frequently than Michigan this year, but OSU hasn’t played either team since last season.
Here’s a look at the field for the Stillwater Regional:
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No. 2 seed Kentucky Wildcats
Record: 30-22 (8-16 SEC)
NCAA Tournament history: 40-32 record, 15th appearance
Leading hitter: Erin Coffel. The senior shortstop is batting .336 with 12 doubles, 13 home runs and 33 RBIs, while also drawing 46 walks and posting the nation’s eighth-best on-base percentage at .544. She has struck out just 11 times in 134 at-bats.
Leading pitcher: Stephanie Schoonover. A senior from Dothan, Alabama, she has an 18-9 record and 2.59 ERA with 169 strikeouts in 159 ⅔ innings. She has started 23 games and gone the distance in 13 of them.
OSU’s all-time record vs. Wildcats: 4-1
Last meeting: OSU won 8-7 on Feb. 10, 2019, at the Houston Invitational. The Cowgirls scored four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on two-run home runs by Rylee Bayless and Sydney Springfield for the walk-off win.
Short hops: Kentucky had never made the NCAA Tournament field when it qualified in 2009, which was coach Rachel Lawson’s second year with the program. The Wildcats are now making their 15th straight appearance in the field, seeking their second WCWS trip. … In the middle of that stretch, Kentucky made eight straight super regionals and one WCWS, in 2015. … Schoonover is the only pitcher on the team with an ERA below 4.00. … Rylea Smith leads the offense in batting average at .376 and Grace Lorsung leads in extra-base hits with 27 (13 homers, 12 doubles, two triples).
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No. 3 seed Michigan Wolverines
Record: 41-16 (17-5 Big Ten)
NCAA Tournament history: 104-49 record, 30th appearance
Leading hitter: Maddie Erickson. The sophomore leads the team in batting average (.357), extra-base hits (27) and RBIs (45). She has struck out 12 times over 185 at-bats.
Leading pitcher: Lauren Derkowski. The junior right-hander has started 30 games with a 19-8 record and 2.16 ERA. She has 202 strikeouts in 194 ⅔ innings pitched.
OSU’s all-time record vs. Wolverines: 8-5
Last meeting: OSU won 15-6 on Feb. 28, 2023, in the Clearwater Invitational. OSU’s Micaela Wark hit a three-run, walk-off home run in the run-rule victory.
Short hops: Michigan is in its second year coached by Bonnie Tholl, who spent the previous 29 years as an assistant for legendary Wolverines coach Carol Hutchins. … Michigan has reached the WCWS 12 times, winning the title in 2005. … Out of 30 NCAA Tournament appearances, this is just the ninth time Michigan has gone on the road for regionals. … As a team, Michigan has an ERA of 2.70. … Tholl’s niece, Keke Tholl, leads the team in home runs with 15 and Indiana Langford has 15 stolen bases in 20 attempts.
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No. 4 seed Northern Colorado
Record: 27-24 (9-5 Big Sky Conference)
NCAA Tournament history: 0-2 record, second appearance
Leading hitter: Amailee Morales. The sophomore from Surprise, Arizona, is batting .336 with 13 home runs, 22 doubles and 60 RBIs. She has drawn 32 walks and has an on-base percentage of .455.
Leading pitcher: Erin Caviness. The right-hander leads the team with a 17-8 record and 2.48 ERA, striking out 177 batters in 162 ⅔ innings.
OSU’s all-time record vs. Northern Colorado: 7-0
Last meeting: Northern Colorado came to Stillwater for the Mizuno Classic, where OSU swept two games, 8-0 and 6-0, on March 12, 2011.
Short hops: Coach Dedeann Pendleton-Helm has now led the Bears to the NCAA Tournament in each of her two years as head coach. … Behind Caviness in the pitching rotation is Isabelle DiNapoli, who has a 3.52 ERA over 119 1/3 innings. She and Caviness have combined to pitch 29 complete games. … The Northern Colorado softball program disbanded after the 1984 season, but resumed play in 1999.
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Stillwater Regional schedule
Double elimination from Friday-Sunday (May 17-19) at Cowgirl Stadium in Stillwater:
Friday's games
Game 1: Michigan vs. Kentucky, 2 p.m. CT (ESPN2)
Game 2: No. 5 Oklahoma State vs. Northern Colorado, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN+)
Saturday's games
Game 3: Winner G1 vs. Winner G2, noon CT
Game 4: Loser G1 vs. Loser G2, 2:30 p.m. CT
Game 5: Winner G4 vs. Loser G3, 5 p.m. CT
Sunday's games
Game 6: Winner G3 vs. Winner G5, TBD
Game 7: Winner G6 vs. Loser G6, TBD, if necessary
*-if necessary
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Stillwater Regional schedule in NCAA softball tournament: Bracket, TV
