Arizona’s nine-game road swing ended on a sour note Sunday as the Wildcats surrendered an early advantage and dropped the series-deciding game at No. 21 Oklahoma State, 7-5. Arizona (31–13, 12–6 Big 12) built a quick lead but could not hold it in the rubber match, sealing their second straight series loss on the trip.
The Wildcats struck first in the opening frame. Junior outfielder Tele Jennings opened the scoring with an RBI single, senior utility Grace Jenkins followed with a two-run double and sophomore Jenna Sniffen added a run on a sacrifice bunt to make it 4-0. Oklahoma State answered immediately in the bottom of the first, plating four runs: senior outfielder Lexi McDonald ripped a two-run double, senior catcher Amanda Hasler added an RBI single and a double-play grounder from junior outfielder Tia Warsop produced another run to knot the game.
Momentum shifted for good in the middle innings. The Cowgirls took the lead in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Claire Timm. Arizona briefly tied the game in the fifth when Jennings laced an RBI double, but Oklahoma State reclaimed the advantage later in that inning when senior catcher Audrey Schneidmiller launched a two-run homer to push the score to 7-5.
Arizona’s pitching staff had a difficult day. Jenae Berry started but did not record an out before allowing four earned runs on three hits and a walk; freshman Rylie Holder relieved and worked 3 1/3 innings, yielding one earned run on three hits and a walk. Oklahoma State’s ace Ruby Meylan, coming back after a day off, completed the game for the Cowgirls, giving up four earned runs on six hits while striking out four.
The series had its bright spots for Arizona earlier in the weekend. The Wildcats evened the series Saturday with a five-inning, 9-1 run-rule victory after an extra-inning contest on Friday. That win featured an early outburst: Arizona put up four in the first (including an RBI off an error after a single by sophomore Sereniti Trice, a sac fly by Jennings, an RBI double by senior Tayler Biehl and an RBI single from Jenkins) and added crooked-number innings in the second and third with contributions from Regan Shockey, Sydney Stewart and others. On that day, Arizona’s starter turned in a strong outing, allowing a lone run while scattering three hits.
With the sweep avoided but the series split in Oklahoma State’s favor, Arizona finished the road trip 4-5, dropping its road mark to 7-7 while remaining strong at home (23-4). The weekend also featured heavy fan interest — Saturday’s crowd set a record at Stillwater with 2,093 spectators — and continued disruption from weather: this was the Wildcats’ fifth road trip of the season and the fourth with weather-related schedule changes, including delays and rescheduled games earlier on the trip. Arizona returns home to open its final regular-season series against Houston.
