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Around the Bases: Feb. 6, 2025

by:Softball America Staff•02/06/25
Ruby
Courtesy of Oklahoma State Athletics

Around the Bases is Softball America’s free daily recap of the day’s biggest games. We’ll highlight four marquee matches and run toward the plate with other notable moments.

No. 4 Oklahoma State 9, No. 10 Florida State 6

It was an all-around effort for Oklahoma State’s win over Florida State, with seven different Cowgirls collecting a hit, including solo home runs from Tallen Edwards, Micaela Wark, and Amanda Hasler.

Transfer pitcher Ruby Meylan was as advertised, striking out nine batters in five innings for her first win in an Oklahoma State uniform. Another transfer, outfielder Megan Delgadillo, shined in her Cowgirl debut, notching three hits, an RBI, and three stolen bases. Jaysoni Beachum was a bright spot for the Seminoles though, hitting a pair of homers and driving in three runs in the loss.

Ashtyn Danley and Meylan got the opening day starts for this marquee matchup. Delgadillo opened the scoring for the Cowgirls, doubling to start the season, then scoring on a wild pitch and an error. Micaela Wark added a second run for Oklahoma State in the opening frame with an RBI single. After Meylan struck out the Seminole side in the second, Oklahoma State pushed across a third run on Tallen Edwards’ solo home run.

Meylan rode a strikeout streak of six consecutive batters until Beachum put the Seminoles on the board in the third with a solo homer of her own. Julia Apsel relieved Danley in the third, keeping the Cowgirls quiet with a pair of strikeouts. However, Oklahoma State added another run in the fourth on Delgadillo’s RBI single, her third hit of the game. The Seminoles earned a run back on a sacrifice fly in the fifth. But the Pokes answered immediately with a solo homer from Wark and an RBI squeeze bunt from Edwards.

Meylan struck out nine before Baylor transfer RyLee Crandall was brought in to close the game. Oklahoma State continued its offensive clinic in the sixth with three more runs. A solo shot from Amanda Hasler, a Florida State error, and a Rachael Hathoot RBI double. A pair of two-run homers from Kennedy Harp and Beachum sparked a Seminole rally in the seventh, but it was too late. The Seminoles and Cowgirls will meet again at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday.

South Carolina 7, No. 24 Virginia 6

South Carolina scored five runs in the final inning to upset No. 24 Virginia, 7-6, in a thrilling comeback win. Oklahoma transfer Quincee Lilio led the charge with three hits and three RBIs, while Abigail Knight added three hits of her own. Jori Heard relieved Sam Gress in the fourth, striking out six batters over four innings to earn the win in the circle.

Ashley Chastain’s homecoming started off on a rough note when Virginia jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, aided by four singles and a Gamecock error. South Carolina scored only twice through the first six innings, but exploded in the seventh. Trailing the entire game, the Gamecocks tied it at 6-6 on a two-run single from Lilio. Two pitches later, Karley Shelton grounded one to first, drove in Shae Anderson from third and clinched the victory.

Virginia’s pitching tandem of Eden Bingham and Savanah Henley issued nine free passes, which helped fuel South Carolina’s comeback. The Cavaliers will look to rebound in a rematch with the Gamecocks tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. ET.

No. 21 Nebraska 7, No. 6 Tennessee 1

Jordy Bahl’s return to college softball was one for the ages. The All-American hit a home run and tossed a complete-game gem in a stunning 7-1 victory over No. 6 Tennessee. Nebraska’s Samantha Bland also had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3 and driving in two runs. Karlyn Pickens had a sensational start to this one, striking out 11 batters, but was ambushed in the fifth and eventually replaced by Sage Mardjetko in the sixth inning.

The first three innings featured an anticipated pitching duel between the All-American starters, but Tennessee’s Sophia Nugent broke the stalemate with an RBI double in the fourth. Nebraska quickly responded; though, scoring five in the fifth on an error, two singles, and Bahl’s two-run blast. The Cornhuskers added insurance in the seventh with Bland’s RBI double and a sacrifice fly from Ava Kuszak. Bahl retired 11 of the final 14 batters she faced to seal Tennessee’s fate and secure the first win of her Nebraska tenure.

No. 3 Oklahoma 11, San Diego State 6

A back-and-forth, extra-inning affair fell the way of the Sooners as Isabela Emerling’s go-ahead grand slam in the top of the ninth highlighted Oklahoma’s late-night win over San Diego State. Kasidi Pickering reached base four times, hitting her first home run of the season, while Ella Parker drove in two runs in a multi-hit effort. Seven different Aztecs collected a hit but couldn’t come up with the big one late in the game when they had the chance.

After falling behind 3-0 in the second inning on a Shannon Cunningham home run, Oklahoma scored five unanswered runs and grabbed the lead in the fifth on Pickering’s three-run blast. The Aztecs answered with Grace Uribe’s two-run single in the fifth that tied the game at 5. After trading runs in the eighth, Oklahoma loaded the bases in the ninth and grabbed the lead for good on Emerling’s grand slam.

Sam Landry struck out 11 and surrendered just five runs in her first Oklahoma start, but it was freshman Audrey Lowry who stole the show. Lowry dazzled in relief, tossing three no-hit innings, striking out five, and earning her first career win in the circle.

Players of the Day

Ole Miss freshman Miali Guachino tossed 3.2 IP hitless innings with five Ks in a 3-2 comeback win over Clemson. Fellow freshman Persy Llamas hit a pinch-hit three-run go-ahead home run in her first collegiate at-bat.

Arizona’s Devyn Netz, who redshirted last season due to injury, returned with a bang in her first game back, belting three home runs and driving in seven RBIs in the Wildcats’ 15-0 rout of Michigan State.

Queens transfer Autumn Courtney had quite the debut for FAU. She went the distance, allowing one hit and striking out 12 in a 3-2 win over Kansas. The Owls also walked off Ole Miss earlier in the day for a pair of Power Four wins.

The Georgia offense had a lot of standouts in its wins over NC State and UCF, however, the pitching duo of Lilli Backes and Randi Roelling combined to throw 12 shutout innings and yield only five hits.

FIU’s Kennedy Byrd held a powerful Indiana lineup in check in the Panthers’ 4-3 win. She worked around eight hits, allowing only three runs. Byrd went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored the game-winning run.

Play of the Day

Other Notables

Softball America Pre-Season All-Americans Shaylon Govan (Baylor) and Maddie Moore (Clemson) were absent from their team’s lineup today. We’ll watch to see if they play the rest of this weekend.

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