Why Oklahoma State softball pitcher Ivy Rosenberry's strong start is a pleasant surprise
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State softball finished strong on its two-week Florida trip, knocking out six wins over four days.
Now, after three weeks on the road to start the season, OSU will be back in Cowgirl Stadium for four games this week, beginning with a home-opening doubleheader against South Dakota State, set for first pitch at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Then comes the Cowgirl Invitational, where OSU will host Seattle and Drake on Friday.
Here’s a look at what we learned about the Cowgirls last week:
No. 7 Oklahoma State
Overall record: 13-2
Last week: 6-0 (Beat Stetson 11-6, No. 4 Washington 7-0, South Florida 6-1, Yale 10-1, Pittsburgh 1-0, Loyola Chicago 6-0)
This week: vs. South Dakota State, 4 and 6:30 p.m. Tuesday; vs. Seattle, 3 p.m. Friday; vs. Drake 5:30 p.m. Friday.
More: How Oklahoma State softball's Claire Timm, Megan Bloodworth are boosting offense
Coming up Rosenberry
Here’s your odd stat of the week. The Cowgirls gave up six runs in the first two innings of what turned out to be an 11-6 win over Stetson last Wednesday. Then they gave up two runs over the remaining 38 innings of the week.
A big reason for the turnaround was senior right-hander Ivy Rosenberry, who entered in relief against Stetson and earned the win with five shutout innings, then followed it up with a complete-game shutout in the 1-0 win over Pitt.
Rosenberry was responsible for the sole run scored by UCLA in the Cowgirls’ 9-1 run-rule win there a couple weeks ago. And that’s the only run she’s given up in 25 innings this season.
She has a team-best 0.28 ERA with 16 hits allowed (14 singles, two doubles), 28 strikeouts and six walks.
Last season, Rosenberry allowed 24 runs (14 earned) over 37 innings with 20 strikeouts and an opponent batting average of .263 — a number that has dipped by 89 points so far this year.
Lexi Kilfoyl on a roll
Rosenberry isn’t the only OSU pitcher who is dealing right now.
Ace Lexi Kilfoyl has thrown three straight complete-game shutouts, topping fourth-ranked Washington and Loyola Chicago over the weekend. Combined, Kilfoyl allowed three hits with 12 strikeouts and no walks in those two games.
With that, she has brought her ERA down to 1.05 for the season with 15 hits allowed and 28 strikeouts in 33 ⅓ innings.
Additionally, Kyra Aycock bounced back from her rough start at Stetson to throw a complete game in the win over South Florida, and freshman Katie Kutz went the distance in a five-inning, run-rule win over Yale.
Kilfoyl has also been doing damage at the plate. She spoke before the season about her improved level of comfort at the plate and it has begun to show up. She had three run-scoring hits last week, with a double and her first home run as a Cowgirl.
More: How Oklahoma State softball found comfort in new hitting coach Vanessa Shippy-Fletcher
Big bats keep swinging
As dominant as the pitching was for a long stretch last week, the power bats in the lineup are perhaps the more notable surprise.
OSU coach Kenny Gajewski felt good about the team’s power prior to the season, but with so few returning hitters, he couldn’t fully know what to expect.
Yet through 15 games, the Cowgirls have 22 home runs, tied for the 10th-most nationally and tied with OU for the most by any Big 12 team.
Tallen Edwards and Caroline Wang lead the team with four each, but 11 different players have at least one homer already.
That includes McNeese State transfer outfielder Jilyen Poullard, who hit her first as a Cowgirl in the sixth inning of the rally past Stetson. It was a three-run shot that put OSU on top 9-6.
Second baseman Rosie Davis, who provided the only run in the win over Pitt with a bases-loaded walk, hit her third home run of the season. Sophomore Lexi McDonald, who has been a spot starter and a regular off the bench, hit her first-career homer, scoring three against Loyola Chicago.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Ivy Rosenberry's strong start a pleasant surprise for OSU softball
