Oral Roberts Takes Down Oklahoma State 11-6
Tuesday night’s game between Oral Roberts and Oklahoma State at ONEOK Field was a crucial one for both teams as they fight for a spot in the postseason. The Golden Eagles came out on top, beating the Cowboys for the second time this season with a score of 11-6.
According to Oral Roberts head coach Ryan Folmar, these games are essential for preparing his team for the stretch ahead. “These games for everybody is in preparation for down the stretch here,” he said.
A Game of Missed Opportunities for Oklahoma State
For the Cowboys, the game was marked by missed opportunities. “Today was not what we set out to do. We wanted to play better than we did today. We didn’t play well,” said Oklahoma State head coach Josh Holliday.
The Golden Eagles were able to take an early lead thanks to a pair of home runs. With one out in the bottom of the second, Cooper Kelly hit a solo home run into the berm in right field. Two innings later, Cooper Combs sent a two-run shot into the terrace in left field to give the Golden Eagles a 3-0 lead.
“We needed a couple swings early, got a couple swings early. We needed that kind of lead. This is a really good offensive club. We knew that, so we knew that we were going to have to score at some point,” said Folmar.
A Big Inning for Oral Roberts
The Golden Eagles added to their lead with a big inning in the fifth. Keaton Campbell started it off with an RBI double to left, followed by Makani Tanaka’s RBI single to right. The Golden Eagles added four more runs thanks to a passed ball, two bases loaded walks, and Campbell’s second RBI of the inning thanks to a bases loaded hit by pitch.
Despite the nine-run deficit, Oklahoma State head coach Josh Holliday liked the fight his team showed as they started to mount a comeback in the sixth. “We jumped right back in it. And really we were in it until the very end, but we just didn’t quite overcome it. They played better than us, they deserved to win,” he said.
Oklahoma State’s Comeback Falls Short
Adian Meola started the two-out rally in the sixth when he smacked a solo home run to left, his 12th of the season. Two batters later, Colin Brueggemann delivered an RBI single to score Campbell Smithwick. Garrett Shull cut the deficit to 9-5 with a three-run homer, his 11th of the year and the Cowboys’ 100th of the season.
The Cowboys had a chance to cut the lead in the seventh with a pair of runners on base, but a strikeout and popout ended the scoring threat. “It got hairy there, 6th, 7th inning, I think your guys have to be in those moments to understand how to navigate through really good lineups, or face really good bullpen arms. And I thought we did both of those things tonight,” said Folmar.
Oral Roberts got two runs back in the seventh thanks to RBI singles from Martell Davis and Hudson Ellis to push the lead back to 11-5, and essentially put the game out of reach. “Guys got to get in those tough spots, and face good lineups. Work in and out of trouble. I thought we did all those things tonight. We put ourselves behind a little bit, but we hung in there and found a way,” said Folmar.
What’s Next for Both Teams
Both teams now turn their sights back to conference play. Summit League leading Oral Roberts travels north to face a Saint Thomas team that is just 6-11 in conference play. “We got a long road trip this weekend, we got three tough games in our league this weekend. So our focus shifts now to that moment,” said Folmar.
The Cowboys return to Big 12 Conference action Friday when they open a series against TCU at O’Brate Stadium. The Horned Frogs are just two games ahead of the Pokes in the Big 12 standings. “You just stick with what got you here. Focus on those fundamentals, slow down a little bit, and just try and live in the moment. You can do that over a period of time, you can give yourself the best chance to succeed. So that’s what we’ll focus on,” said Holliday.
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