Stillwater, Okla. ? A three-run fifth inning doomed Kansas University’s softball team in a 3-2 loss to Oklahoma State on Saturday.
Kansas remains winless in Big 12 Conference play at 0-9, while dropping to 27-13 overall. The No. 21 Cowgirls improved to 31-9 and 2-3.
The Jayhawks rallied for two runs in the final inning. Junior pinch hitter Kelsey Alsdorf smacked an RBI single, and then an OSU wild pitch scored freshman Laura Vickers. Allie Clark popped up behind the plate to end the game.
Alsdorf has been an effective pinch hitter for KU this year, batting .375 with six RBIs in that role.
Oklahoma State starter Kat Espinosa held the Jayhawks to just two hits in 61/3 innings and improved to 16-4.
KU sophomore Maggie Hull doubled in the top of the sixth inning to break up Espinosa’s no-hit bid. With 13 doubles, Hull presently sits at eighth on KU’s all-time list of doubles in a single season.
Kansas freshman pitcher Kristin Martinez suffered the loss and fell to 12-6.
Despite only grabbing two hits, Kansas collected three walks and two hit batsmen, but stranded four of those baserunners, including a runner in scoring position in the fifth and sixth frames.
KU will wrap up its series against Oklahoma State at 1 p.m. today. The Cowgirls, despite their national ranking, are only seventh in the stacked Big 12 standings. KU is last.
Texas, at 33-3 overall and 6-0 in the league, is in first, while Missouri (31-5, 6-1) is in second.