OSU Softball: Depth Appears to Be a Strength for New-Look Cowgirls

‘There are about 12 to 13 hitters that are showing us right now that they should be playing.’

STILLWATER — The Cowgirls will have a bit of a different look this season, but early signs suggest the group has a ton of depth.

Oklahoma State starts its softball season with a game against Cal State-Northridge at 3 p.m. Thursday in California. Names like Kiley Naomi, Chyenne Factor, Taylor Tuck and Kelly Maxwell have been staples for Kenny Gajewski and Co. over the past five or so seasons. With that group gone, some new faces will have to fill in and carry on the torch that has seen the Cowgirls make the past four Women’s College World Series.

There will be some standouts OSU fans will recognize — like superstar sophomore Tallen Edwards or pitcher Lexi Kilfoyl — but there will also be others the fanbase isn’t as familiar with just quite yet. But what the Cowgirls might lack in initial name recognition, they’ll apparently make up for in sheer depth.

“There are about 12 to 13 hitters that are showing us right now that they should be playing,” Gajewski said. “That is what’s hard. Unfortunately — or maybe it’s fortunately and that’s why this kids are here — they put a lot of value in are they in the opening-day lineup when I just told you we’re going to have multiple lineups the first week, multiple starters. But they value that in ways they shouldn’t, but they do and I get it.”

Gajewski said he has talked a lot about his 2019 squad with this group. That team was Gajewski’s first to make the WCWS. It featured Naomi, Factor, Maxwell and Tuck as true freshmen. Sydney Pennington and Chelsea Alexander were sophomores. It was the Samantha Show team.

As late as Monday, Gajewski said at his preseason media day that he wasn’t totally sure what the lineup would look like or even what positions certain players would play. He said these opening weeks are going to feature a lot of movement as OSU tries to pin down what will be best to get the Cowgirls to Oklahoma City again.

He mentioned returners Edwards, Kilfoyl, Megan Bloodworth, Micaela Wark, Katie Lott, Claire Timm and Scotland David as potential contributors.

Starting with Edwards, Gajewski seems to be asking a lot from the sophomore who should technically be a freshman had she not enrolled a year early and skipped her final season at Southmoore High School.

Edwards hit .328 in her freshman season, recording 11 doubles, three home runs and 26 RBIs. After reclassifying, Edwards was the No. 3 overall prospect in Extra Inning Softball’s “Extra Elite 100” ranking. She was a D1 Softball freshman All-American last season.

No matter the differing lineups, expect Edwards to play a large role.

“I’m really wanting Tallen to be our top-of-the-order kid,” Gajewski said. “She’s got all that in her to be that. She can do so many things. She’s the best player on this team.”

Gajewski also said Kilfoyl, a pitcher, has been swinging the bat well. She had just 30 at-bats last season, where she hit .233 with a home run and four RBIs.

Wark hit .314 as a redshirt freshman in 2023. Lott wasn’t an everyday player as a true freshman but made an impact at the plate, hitting .370 in 54 at-bats. Timm hit .276 in 29 at-bats as a true freshman.

Knee injury after knee injury has delayed David’s impact on the diamond. She enters her senior season having taken just 20 career at-bats — 18 of those came last season, where she hit .278.

So all of those players are a year wiser, but Gajewski also has some new blood that will make an impact.