Why Oklahoma State softball's Kyra Aycock is among most important players in postseason
STILLWATER — Oklahoma State pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl is a finalist for USA Softball’s Collegiate Player of the Year.
Her cohort in the circle, Ivy Rosenberry, could get some All-America consideration after her emergent season.
And the Cowgirls’ postseason dreams will count heavily on what those two pitchers do the next three weeks.
But as fifth-seeded OSU opens play in the Stillwater Regional against Northern Colorado at 4:30 p.m. Friday at Cowgirl Stadium, it’s No. 3 starter Kyra Aycock who has the widest margin for potential impact.
The sophomore right-hander hasn’t been asked to throw in a lot of crucial situations this year, but the rigors of the postseason are sure to require her presence.
“When you’re facing elite offenses, when there’s 64 teams, and then there’s 16 teams, and then eight teams, it’s crazy,” OSU coach Kenny Gajewski said. “You better be ready and be able to show these teams some different looks.”
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Whether it’s this week in the Stillwater Regional or beyond, the stress on a pitching staff magnifies in the postseason. And it’s not just about getting rest for Kilfoyl and Rosenberry.
Over the offseason, Gajewski and new pitching coach Carrie Eberle developed a strategy to use their pitchers in tandem situations, with the goal of not asking a player to go a full seven innings. Instead, the goal was to get three or four innings out of the starter, then give the opponent a different look with another pitcher for the final three or four innings.
But when the back half of the rotation had some early struggles, the Cowgirls backed off the strategy.
“At this point, we need everyone on the pitching staff,” said Kilfoyl, who went through two postseasons at Alabama and is now entering her second with OSU. “I don’t believe in an ace, because the staff isn’t a staff without everyone else.
“We need Kyra and she has shown she’s capable of getting the job done, no matter who we’re playing.”
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In mid-April, Gajewski lamented the fact that he hadn’t gotten Aycock into more big games, often sending her to the circle in midweek non-conference games. But late in the season, he atoned for his previous decisions.
Aycock was handed the ball to start the first game of the Bedlam series, and she delivered, overcoming early control issues to allow two runs on one hit over three innings. The Cowgirls had a 3-2 lead when Kilfoyl took over and closed the door on the Sooners for OSU’s first win in Norman since 1997.
Rosenberry has been pitching through pain for the last few weeks, though some time off likely helped after the early exit in the Big 12 Tournament last Thursday. Still, Gajewski and Eberle will be conscious of what they’re asking of her, just like they’ll be aware of how much they’re letting opponents see Kilfoyl.
“It won’t get completely better until I’m done,” Rosenberry said of her rib injury. “This is the best time of year, so to not fight for it right now — I’m just gonna give everything I have right now. I don’t want to have any regrets. I want to walk off my last day and not regret a single thing or decision I had.”
With that, Gajewski and Eberle know how valuable it will be for Aycock to pick up a few outs here and there.
“I’ve told Kyra forever that we’re gonna need her,” Rosenberry said. “She doesn’t believe me some days. But I tell her constantly, ‘Kyra, we will need you.’
“Last year, I was kind of in a similar situation, where you’re just there to buy outs. That’s a weird way to say it. But you need to take stress off. How can I alleviate stress from someone else?
“It alleviates stress from Lexi and I if Kyra can go get some outs. She’s hit some bumps in the road, but I think she’s really gonna shine when we need her.”
Stillwater Regional schedule
Double elimination from Friday-Sunday 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: Oklahoma State softball's Kyra Aycock among most important Cowgirls
