(STILLWATER, Oklahoma / February 12, 2019) – Oklahoma State softball jumped in both national polls this week, climbing two spots to No. 20 in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll and up four spots to No. 17 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25.

OSU has been ranked in at least one of the national polls in 13 of the last 15 weeks, peaking as high as No. 15 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball Top 25 on Feb. 13, 2018.

The Cowgirls are coming off an impressive 4-1 weekend at the Houston Invitational, where the Cowgirls picked up several impressive wins, highlighted by a walk-off victory over then-No. 13 Kentucky, 8-7, in Sunday's finale. OSU trailed by as many as five runs against the Wildcats, but scratched its way back into the game, ultimately scoring four runs in the bottom of the seventh to record the Cowgirls' 10th win over a ranked opponent during Kenny Gajewski's three-plus years as coach.

This past weekend saw several familiar faces play their same roles in Oklahoma State's success, but several new faces were also key contributors. Included in that group of fresh figures was Texas A&M transfer Samantha Show, who held opponents to a .146 batting average in 13.0 innings pitched while also hitting two home runs and driving in eight as a batter.

Freshman Kiley Naomi and LSU transfer Sydney Springfield were both also key contributors, as Naomi scored seven times and hit her first collegiate home run during the weekend, while Springfield led all Cowgirls with a .462 batting average and went 2-for-4 with two home runs, including the walk-off shot, against No. 13 Kentucky.

Oklahoma State will continue to tackle a monstrous non-conference schedule this week when they compete in the stacked field at the St. Pete/Clearwater Elite Invitational, which begins on Thursday, Feb. 14. The Cowgirls will open the tournament against No. 8/7 LSU Thursday morning before facing Notre Dame, Utah, California and Hofstra over the following two days.
All five of OSU's opponents this weekend are either ranked or receiving votes in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll this week.

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Oklahoma State is proud to celebrate more than 40 years of rich softball tradition and its 20th season of play at Cowgirl Stadium this year. To renew or purchase your season tickets for the 2019 campaign, visit okstate.com/tickets or call the OSU ticket office at 877-ALL-4-OSU.