Cowgirls Shut Out Cyclones, 4-0
Stillwater, Okla. — Oklahoma State freshman Kat Espinosa threw a complete-game shutout, scattering six hits, and the 12th-ranked Cowgirls defeated Iowa State 4-0 here Sunday afternoon to sweep the two-game series over the Cyclones.
Espinosa, who improved to 15-3 on the year, has now thrown 36-consecutive innings without allowing an earned run and 22-straight shutout innings. The last time she gave up an earned run was in the fourth inning against Illinois on March 21.
Oklahoma State scored all the runs it needed in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff hitter Mariah Gearhart reached first after being hit by a pitch, her 20th of the season, leading the nation. A sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch advanced her to third. After a walk issued to Julie Ward, Tamara Brown hit a base hit up the middle, scoring Gearhart.
Megan Castle followed up with a single to right field. Ward scored from second, and Brown beat the throw at the plate to make the score 3-0.
Espinosa worked out of several jams throughout the day. Iowa State had the leadoff hitter reach base in four innings, and had runners on second and third in both the second and fifth innings. In both instances, the Houston, Texas, native forced a popup to end the threat.
Oklahoma State has now won 13-straight games, matching the longest streak of last season. The Cowgirls are 36-7 overall and 7-0 in Big 12 Conference action, the best mark through 43 games since 1993.
will travel to Tulsa, Okla., to face the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Wednesday, April 14 at 6 p.m.
Updated 04-11-2010
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