Softball reaches Big 12 semifinals with upset of No. 23 Oklahoma State

OKLAHOMA CITY – Samantha Swan doubled and homered while Kenzie Brown recorded 13 strikeouts as Sun Devil Softball defeated No. 23/23 Oklahoma State 2-1 on Thursday in the quarterfinals of the Phillips 66 Big 12 Softball Championship.

Pitching was the story of the game from the start, with neither team recording a hit through the first three innings. That changed on one pitch as Swan put the first pitch of the fourth inning over the wall in left to give ASU (35-18) the 1-0 lead.

HIT THE SWANNNN ??@samswan26325464 takes the first pitch she sees over the left field wall for the first run of the game

T4 ASU 1 | OSU 0 pic.twitter.com/ME2csFGQ6N

— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) May 8, 2025

Oklahoma State (33-18) put a runner on base in each of the first four innings, including getting a runner to second in the first three frames. Brown kept the Cowgirls off the scoreboard with seven strikeouts in the first four innings.

ASU got hits from Kelsey Hall and Yannixa Acuña in the fifth inning and eventually got runners to second and third, but the Sun Devils were not able to build on their lead.

Riding the momentum of holding ASU scoreless in the top of the fifth, OSU got a double, walk, and double with one out to tie the game in the bottom of the inning. The Cowgirls then put runners on the corners before Brown posted back-to-back strikeouts to keep the score level.

Swan started the sixth inning with a double to center with two strikes. Ashleigh Mejia sacrificed Swan to third, and then Tanya Windle brought her home with a sacrifice fly to left.

OSU got a single to start the bottom of the sixth, but Brown put another zero on the board with a strikeout and a strikeout-caught stealing double play to end the threat. Brown sealed the win with a perfect seventh, including her 13th strikeout of the contest.

STRIKE EM OUT, THROW EM OUT ??

Have a day @samswan26325464 ?? pic.twitter.com/zufDermaEe

— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) May 8, 2025

Brown used her 12th complete game of the season to improve her record to 19-6. She limited OSU to 1-for-12 with runners on base and 1-for-8 when they were in scoring position, including nothing in two at-bats with the bases loaded.

NOTABLE

• Brown reached double-digit strikeouts for the 11th time this season.
• It's the fifth time she has totaled 13-plus strikeouts in a game.
• The 13 strikeouts are the most by a Sun Devil in a conference tournament game in program history.
• This is the fifth complete game with three hits or fewer by Brown this season.
• Swan's home run was her second of the season and first since February 28 versus Seattle.
• Her double ties her for the team lead with 13.
• The win is the second win at a conference tournament in ASU history.

UP NEXT
ASU will face No. 11/11 Texas Tech in the semifinals of the Big 12 Softball Championship on Friday. The first pitch at Devn Park is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT/1 p.m. AZT, and the game will be live on ESPN+.