Kansas University senior outfielder Betsy Wilson dives forward, but is unable to come up with a short fly ball. The Jayhawks beat Oklahoma State, 6-0, Sunday at Arrocha Ballpark.

Kansas University senior outfielder Betsy Wilson dives forward, but is unable to come up with a short fly ball. The Jayhawks beat Oklahoma State, 6-0, Sunday at Arrocha Ballpark.

Val George may hail from Tucson, but she looked more like the Phoenix on Sunday.

George rose from the ashes of a poor Saturday pitching performance to hurl Kansas University to a 6-0 softball victory over Oklahoma State at Arrocha Ballpark.

“Val and I talked, and I challenged her,” KU coach Tracy Bunge said. “We needed someone to stop the bleeding.”

The junior right-hander from Arizona had been touched for seven hits and four runs in Saturday’s 8-1 loss to the Cowgirls. Less than 24 hours later, however, she tossed a five-hit shutout as KU snapped a six-game losing streak against Big 12 Conference teams.

“I’ve always pitched well under pressure,” George said. “I think that motivates me even more.”

Not that Sunday was a cakewalk. George struggled early. O-State loaded the bases in the second inning on the only walk she issued, a single and a hit batter, but George wiggled out of that jam with one of her five strikeouts.

An inning later, the Jayhawks dropped a five-spot on the Cowgirls despite collecting just two hits. Three errors – two by third baseman Jessica Meza – kept the flood gates open while KU added to OSU’s misery with daring base-running.

“When we’ve won, it’s been like that,” Bunge said. “Put the ball in play, run the bases and force mistakes.”

Liz Kocon struck the big blow of the fateful inning with a two-run single off OSU starter and loser Anna Siddon.

“I saw her (Siddon) plenty of times in Texas when I was playing U-18 tournament ball,” said Kocon, a freshman outfielder from Katy, Texas. “I knew I could hit her because I know what she throws.”

Siddon, who had been the winning pitcher in OSU’s victory Saturday, is from Huntington, Texas.

While OSU struggled in the field, the Jayhawks not only played errorless ball, but turned in at least three dazzling defensive plays. In the fifth inning, second baseman Sara Ramirez went far to her right to flag a grounder, and third baseman Val Chapple made a diving stop to her left.

Chapple produced another sparkler in the seventh when she charged what appeared to be a perfect bunt and threw out OSU’s Breana Casaus.

“(Chapple) definitely made some great plays out there,” George said.

At the same time, George (18-8) made some big pitches.

“She didn’t have her A-game yesterday,” Bunge said, “but she’s our best arm. We needed her, so we went to No. 1, and she did a great job.”

Kansas improved to 5-9 in league games and 35-16 overall. Oklahoma State is 8-8 in conference play and 25-23 overall.

KU will travel to Nebraska for a Wednesday doubleheader, then conclude the regular season at home next weekend against Iowa State.