Lynch Drives in Five in Cowgirls' Rubber Game Win

Saturday, March 31

Lubbock, TX

12 P.M. CT

Oklahoma State University

25-10, 0

Texas Tech

21-15, 0

Oklahoma State

Texas Tech

Photo by: OSU Athletics

March 31, 2018 | Cowgirl Softball

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LUBBOCK, Texas – Oklahoma State softball standout Taylor Lynch went 3-for-4 at the plate with five runs batted in to help the No. 23 Cowgirls defeated Texas Tech, 10-4, and win the series on Saturday at Rocky Johnson Field.

The rubber game victory pushed OSU out to 25-10 on the year and 4-2 in Big 12 play.

"Anytime you can win a series in the Big 12, it's a big weekend," head coach Kenny Gajewski said. "I thought we bounced back well today after a tough one last night that we felt like we gave away. I really felt good about the way we came out and swung the bats much better. Taylor Lynch had a huge day. Shippy was on base again all day. When those two are going, we're a tough team to beat. I'm very, very proud of the way we bounced back."

Lynch's offensive showcase began early Saturday, as she blasted a two-run, opposite-field home run in the first inning to put the Cowgirls on top early. OSU never surrendered the lead, and Lynch played a key part in that with a bases-clearing double in the fourth inning that put the Cowgirls on top, 7-3.

Madi Sue Montgomery and Sydney Pennington combined to match Lynch's RBI output on Saturday.

Montgomery drove in two runs with a two-run home run of her own in the third inning. The left-handed hitter now leads the Cowgirls with nine home runs and 37 runs batted in this season.

Pennington, in hot pursuit of Montgomery's RBI total, drove in three of her own when she smacked a bases-clearing double in the top of the sixth that gave OSU a 10-4 lead. She now has driven in 34 runs so far this season.

One of the runners Pennington scored was leadoff hitter Vanessa Shippy. The run marked Shippy's fourth time crossing home plate on Saturday and the 184th run of her illustrious career. Her 184 runs pushes her past Mariah Gearhart and into the top spot on OSU's career runs scored list.

Shippy finished 1-for-1 with four walks at the plate. It is the fourth time she has had four walks in a game in her career and the second time she has done so this season.

One of her walks came out of the leadoff spot to open up the contest Saturday. Shippy has now reached base as the Cowgirls' first batter in 16 of OSU's last 20 contests, walking on 10 of those occasions.

Samantha Clakley earned the win in the circle for OSU, as she pitched five innings of one-run ball in relief of Emmie Robertson. Clakley's record now stands at 10-4 for the year.

"I thought Sam was really good. She came in and she shut the door," Gajewski said. "They didn't hit her hard. Only one or two kind of OK hits. She's just a competitive kid who kind of lulls you to sleep because her mentality out there is not very excited, but she gets after it and we've played very well behind her."

The Cowgirls will return to action next Wednesday, March 4, for the second half of a home-and-home series against Tulsa. First pitch is currently scheduled for 6 p.m. at Cowgirl Stadium. The matchup will air on FOX Sports Oklahoma.