DePaul University Athletics
DePaul University
Oklahoma State
DePaul Can't Recover From Slow Start
5/19/2018 12:00:00 AM | SOFTBALL
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The Blue Demons could not overcome a tough start Saturday in the NCAA Regional at Bogle Park.
Falling behind early by five runs resulted in a 6-0 setback to Oklahoma State.
DePaul finished the 2018 season with a 35-17 record and took home the BIG EAST regular-season and tournament championships.
Coach Eugene Lenti's young ball club that started four freshmen and two sophomores on Saturday will be a force to be reckoned with next season as they shoot for their third consecutive BIG EAST title.
Oklahoma State (39-21) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Back-to-back singles by the Cowgirls' first two batters was followed by Madi Sue Montgomery's bases-clearing double to center field.
The Big 12 power followed up with three more runs in the top of the second. Raquel Dominguez led off with a double to left field and scored on a throwing error after Maddi Holcomb's bunt single.
Vanessa Shippy's run-scoring single made it 4-0, and after a bunt, she would come around to score on Whitney Whitehorn's single to left field.
After relief pitcher Kennedy Garcia put up a zero for Oklahoma State, Maranda Gutierrez led off the bottom of the third with a sharp single to left. But she wound up stranded at first base.
Morgan Greenwood drove a one-out double to left in the fourth inning but was left on base. The Cowgirls added one more run in the top of the fifth.
Postgame Notes
--This was the first time DePaul has faced Oklahoma State in NCAA tournament play.
--The Blue Demons are 45-41 all-time in NCAA Tournament games.
--DePaul is 19-5 in games played on Saturday this season.
--Garcia gave up just one run in her five innings of relief in the senior's final collegiate appearance.
--The third inning was the Blue Demons' best with 53 runs. They have scored 45 in the first inning.
--DePaul returns eight of the 10 players who started on Saturday.
--This weekend marked the 20th NCAA tournament appearance for Lenti's program that has advanced to the Women's College World Series four times and the NCAA regional finals seven times.
