In cold Blood-worth Bloodworth leads OSU to shutout victory over Shockers

This SportsCenter Top 10-worthy catch was followed with an emphatic fist pump from the usually lowkey sophomore.

One could say it was cold-blooded.

Ashton Slaughter Assistant Sports Editor

With the bases loaded in the top of the fifth, star Wichita State shortstop Sydney McKinney had a prime opportunity to carve into OSU’s four-run lead.

The All-American hit a missile toward Cowgirl third baseman Megan Bloodworth, who went airborne to snag the liner with two outs to end the inning.

“That just took the air out of them,” OSU coach Kenny Gajewski said of Bloodworth’s acrobatic catch. “And that’s what you got to do this time of year; you got to make plays.”

Strong defensive plays like this one helped the Cowgirls (43-14) defeat the Shockers in shutout fashion, 6-0, their second shutout in the Stillwater Regional.

The defense all started with Lexi Kilfoyl in the circle, who, as second in line on the Cowgirl pitching staff, has been let down by her defense multiple times this season, according to Gajewski.

“We’ve played poorly for her (Kilfoyl) the whole year,” Gajewski said. “Her numbers should be better than what they say. She’s been the biggest tough luck kid I’ve seen in a complete year in a long time.”

Her defense rallied around her Saturday afternoon, and the Alabama transfer had an impressive day of her own, totaling six strikeouts on 88 total pitches.

Three of those strikeouts came in the first inning, when Kilfoyl retired the first three batters of the Shocker lineup by strikeout.

See Blood-worth on 2

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have this game, this series, marked on my calendar all year,” Abram said. “It’s different. It’s not something I’ve had the chance to experience before.”

On Saturday afternoon, the longing for a chance to shut down his former team was upheld in OSU’s 11-1 series-clinching win over OU in the Bedlam series finale, which also earned the Cowboys a share of the Big 12 title.

Due to a shortened week, the initial starting pitching rotation wasn’t entirely set. On Wednesday, Abram was told by his

“Not this time,” he said to himself.

Two at-bats later, Abram ended the inning. On a slow chopper to the pitcher’s mound hit by Sooner designated hitter Diego Muniz, Abram called off first baseman David Mendham and pranced toward the bag to record the final out himself. Abram patted his former teammate on the back before jogging to the OSU dugout.

“It usually takes me a little bit to settle in and that’s fine,” Abram said. “But as soon as I found my fastball command, especially my sinker, it was wraps after that.”

See Bedlam on 3