OSU Softball: Cowgirls' Pitching Throws No-Hitter

Oklahoma State softball pitchers Jessi Haffner and Peyton Walker threw a combined no-hitter against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sunday, highlighting a 13-0 run-rule victory at Cowgirl Stadium.

Haffner, making only her second collegiate start, contributed a bulk of the Cowgirls' (12-13) stellar pitching effort with four innings of shutout ball. The freshman tacked on five strikeouts in the win, which pushed her record to 3-0 and lowered her ERA to a modest 2.13.

“Great pitching, great hitting and overall, a great way to end the weekend,” head coach Rich Wieligman said. “We put up 13 runs on 10 hits, so I couldn't ask for much more from these girls. This will give us some good momentum heading into next week.”

With four innings in the books, Walker came on in her season debut to seal the victory. The sophomore delivered a perfect top of the fifth, striking out two and forcing a ground out for the final out of the win.

Offensively, Oklahoma State was led by two of its most consistent bats, Shelby Davis and Tiffany Mikkelson. Davis led off the beginning of an eight-run first inning with a walk, stole second and scored on a fielding error two at-bats later. After the Cowgirls batted around, Davis stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and delivered a three-RBI triple off the wall in right-center, putting the home side up, 7-0.

Davis' big base-hit was only a few feet short of clearing the fence for a grand slam, which would have given the senior her first home run of her career. The Cowgirls got another chance at a four-bagger in the third, though, and Mikkelson delivered, driving the first pitch of the at-bat over the left field wall for her seventh home run of the year. That mark matches her entire 2014 season total, and gives the junior her fourth HR in the last five games.

Shianne Hughes (2-2, 2 R, RBI) and Maddi Holcomb (2-2, 2 R, RBI) also provided sparks for the Cowgirls, who pushed a game within .500 with Sunday's victory. Vanessa Shippy contributed an RBI double to the 13-run effort, which marks the team's second-highest run total of the season.

Oklahoma State will look to add on to its three-game winning streak on Tuesday, as the Cowgirls welcome Iowa and Central Arkansas for a doubleheader at Cowgirl Stadium, set to begin at 4 p.m.