Cowboy Baseball: Pokes Take Series vs. Texas State

The Oklahoma State baseball team get their first series win of the season, beating Texas State two-games-to-one after a 6-3 victory earlier today. It was the Cowboys’ first home series of the season after starting their year out in Arizona. The Texas State Bobcats came to town, and the Cowboys learned very quickly this team would give them fits all weekend. In the end, the Cowboys won the series bringing their record to 4-3 on the season.

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Game 1: Cowboys win 10-7

The Cowboys bats were alive in this one, striking early against Texas State, sending 12 men to the plate in the 3rd inning, and putting up seven runs. This gave the Cowboys an 8-0 lead. However, Texas State would fight back and chip away at the lead over the last few innings, bringing it to only a one-run game going into the 8th. The Cowboys were able to get a few insurance runs in the bottom of the 8th to bring the lead to 10-7 heading into the final inning.

The Cowboys were able to take the home opener, something they have done every year under Josh Holliday. Tyler Buffett went five innings striking out six, however he struggled in his last two innings, giving up five runs. The Cowboys had to battle in the late innings but were able to get the victory. Garrett Benge went 3-5 with an RBI, and was able to set the table for the Cowboys most of the day.

Winning Pitcher: Tyler Buffett (1-1)

Losing Pitcher: Anthony Pagano (0-1)

Save: Blake Battenfield (2)

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Game 2: Bobcats win 12-11

Saturday was a slugfest at Allie P., and the box score had crooked numbers all over the place. The Bobcats jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the second the Cowboys would get one run back in the inning. In the fourth, Texas State extended their lead out to 7-2. In the bottom half of the fifth the Cowboys put up five runs to tie the game. Texas State grabbed two more runs in the sixth, and once again the Cowboys clawed back to tie it 9-9.

Both teams traded runs into the later innings, but the back and forth affair went to the Bobcats 12-11. Cowboy catcher Travis Wacker led the team as he went 3-4 with three RBIs. Garrett Benge went 2-5 with 3 RBIs as well. Benge also fired up The Gap Band for the first time this season with a two-run bomb.

Winning Pitcher: Blake Walden (2-0)

Losing Pitcher: Johnathan Heasley (1-1)

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Game 3: Cowboys win 6-3

In the rubber match, it felt like another high scoring affair from the get-go. The Bobcats jumped on Carson Teel for two runs in the first, yet the Cowboys were able to get one run back in the bottom half of the inning. With the scored tied 3-3 in the fifth, the Cowboys took the lead for good on a Garrett Benge (shocker) two-RBI single. The Cowboys were also able to lead on the long relief of Jake Cowan after Teel only went three innings. Cowan went four shutout innings, striking out six, only walking one, and did not allow a hit. The Cowboys were able to take the series from Texas State. This was also the 900th win at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium for the Pokes.

Winning Pitcher: Jake Cowan (1-0)

Losing Pitcher: Nicholas Fraze (0-1)

Save: Johnathan Easley (1)

I’d say this is a pretty accurate representation of the Cowboy third baseman. He had a fantastic weekend.

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With the 2-1 series win, the Cowboys move to 4-3 on the season.

Up next, the Cowboys play host to the St. Louis Billikens (6-1) Wednesday night with the first pitch being thrown at 4 p.m. in Stillwater.