One round down Monday, May 23, 2022
Abby Cage Miranda Elish hit a home run to get the Cowgirls on the board against North Texas.
Cowgirls advance to Super Regionals behind Miranda Elish’s clutch performance
“It’s been a roller coaster... just keeping her positive about the outlook. She wants to pitch so bad to help this team and it’s just been a struggle,” OSU coach Kenny Gajewski said. Since then, Elish has been rather quiet, as she has remained the cleanup Ashton Slaughter batter in the hitting lineup but hasn’t Staff Reporter been taking her normal spot in the circle. In the regional final game against A pitcher of Miranda Elish’s North Texas on Sunday afternoon caliber can make an immense impact in though; she was heard loud and clear. postseason play. In a game that had been dominated However, there’s one problem: El- by defense and strong pitching from both ish can’t pitch. sides, it was a 0-0 game going into the Elish has been dealing with a nag- sixth inning when Elish stepped into the ging right arm injury for nearly a month batter’s box with two outs. After fightnow, dating back to April 24 when ing back into a positive pitch count, the Oklahoma State was on the final day of former National Player of the Year was its series against Texas. After retiring 13 faced with a full count. straight batters and completely shutting She hit her first home run since down her former team, there was only that Sunday in April against her former one out remaining in the game when team. she suddenly had to exit the game after “That was a monster hit,” Gajewa wild pitch in which she immediately ski said. “It’s one that’ll go down in the grabbed her shoulder. record books or the history books of just
clutch.” Clutch it was as Elish’s solo home run put gave the Cowgirls a 1-0 lead, before outlasting the Mean Green win 2-0, promptly ending their season. “It’s just been awesome to be able to still hit even with the injury, it was really tough,” said Elish. With the shoulder injury still lingering for Elish, her mindset has now switched from desperately wanting to pitch to just doing whatever she can for the team and looking out for her other pitchers in the bullpen. “Just trying to do whatever I can I mean; Kelly (Maxwell) and Morgan (Day) have been pitching their butts off so I’m just happy I can contribute,” Elish said in regard to helping her teammates that have recently been in the circle. “Even if it’s just putting the ball in play hard that’s all I’m trying to do just to make their job a little bit easier.” With the victory, the Cowgirls advance to Super Regionals, where they will take on Clemson. The Cowgirls will
More photos from the Stillwater Regional this weekend by Abby Smith:
begin their series against the Tigers on Thursday and (if necessary) could host them until Sunday. In Elish’s mind though, the Cowgirls aren’t just a Super Regional-worthy team, but a legitimate contender in the Women’s College World Series. “If you look at us in the beginning of the season people might not have thought that we would make it to the World Series,” Elish said. “Now, I don’t think there’s a doubt in my mind that if we play how we did this weekend we’ll be there.” The Cowgirls are now only a week and a half away from Oklahoma City, but they’ll have to take down a top-10 team to get there. However, with Elish still contributing to the team in some fashion, they are in a good position to make it to their second straight College World Series. “Just clutch, that’s what she’s been here all year long,” said Gajewski. sports.ed@ocolly.com