Cowgirls hoping for a leap year

Oklahoma State softball coach Kenny Gajewski is still waiting for that moment when it all comes together.

When the offense is clicking, the defense is smooth and the pitchers are in control.

“I don’t think we’ve played our best softball yet, the most complete games yet,” Gajewski said.

Maybe it’ll come this week in the Big 12 championship, which begins with pool play on Friday before pairing off for the final round of games on Saturday.

OSU faces Baylor at 11 a.m. at USA Softball Hall of Fame Stadium, then closes the day against Texas Tech at 5 p.m.

“I think most teams, throughout the year, play games at your level, above it and below it,” Gajewski said. “I don’t think we’ve played above it yet. I think we’ve just kind of been cruising along. I’m excited about what’s to come. I’m excited about the opportunity that we’ve got.”

At 36-19, the Cowgirls have their most wins since the 2011 team won 37. Their 12-6 Big 12 record marks the first time OSU has recorded double-digit conference wins since Big 12 play began in 1997.

With that, this weekend provides the opportunity to add to the win total, compete for a Big 12 title, and potentially get another shot at Oklahoma, which swept the Cowgirls in a three-game series last week.

“With the Big 12 tournament the way it is, we might have a good chance of playing OU again,” Jessi Haffner said. “It’s just another opportunity to prove that we’re supposed to be on the field with those guys, and we’re good enough to beat them and we can do this.”

Beyond getting another shot at the two-time defending national champion Sooners, the Cowgirls need to build some confidence heading into NCAA regionals a week from now.

OSU will learn its regional destination late Sunday night.

“We just want to play the best we can play,” Madi Sue Montgomery said. “Obviously, this is the most important time of the year. We want to have a lot of positive momentum going into these games.

“Some games we have our hitting on, some days we have our defense on, and some days we don’t have any of it. It’s nice to have a chance to put it all together and play the best that we can.”

Gajewski sees a senior class — including Big 12 Player of the Year Vanessa Shippy — that is ready to lead the Cowgirls into such a challenge.

“We’ve got some seniors who are ready, who went to Georgia their first year and won, and went to Florida last year and won,” he said. “I think we’re prepared as we can be to take that next leap.”