STILLWATER – Oklahoma State extended its winning streak to eight games with an 11-1 run-rule victory over Utah Tech in seven innings Friday at O’Brate Stadium.
With the win, the 13th-ranked Cowboys improved to 11-3, while Utah Tech fell to 5-9. The eight-game win streak is tied for the fourth longest in the Josh Holliday head coaching era.
Colin Brueggemann led the Cowboys’ offense with two doubles, four RBIs and two runs scored, and Aidan Meola finished the Trailblazers off in the seventh inning with a two-run, inside-the-park home run, which marked the first homer of his career and was one of his three RBIs on the night.
Juaron Watts-Brown picked up his second win of the season on the mound, working 6 2/3 innings and striking out a season-high 13 batters. Watts-Brown allowed just one run on three hits.
The 13 strikeouts were the second most in a game in Watts-Brown’s career behind only the 16 punchouts he recorded while at Long Beach State last season in a game against UC Riverside that also saw him throw a no-hitter.
David Mendham put the Cowboys on top early as he launched his fifth homer of the season in the first inning, a solo shot to right-center field that gave OSU a lead it never surrendered.
With two runners on in the bottom of the fourth, Brueggemann laced one down the right field line to score Nolan Schubart and Nolan McLean, extending the Cowboys’ lead to 4-0.
Utah Tech got runners to second and third with one out in the sixth, but Watts-Brown allowed just one runner to cross to keep the Cowboys on top, 4-1.
OSU finished off Utah Tech in the bottom of the seventh, scoring seven runs to grab the run-rule victory.
Marcus Brown opened the inning with a double and scored on an RBI single by Chase Adkison. With the bases loaded, Mendham delivered a sac fly to left, and three batters later, Brueggemann’s second double of the game made the score 9-1.
Up next, Meola laced a line shot to center field that got past Karson Irvin and carried to the wall. Meola raced around the bases and scored when he dislodged the glove and ball out of UT catcher Hank Dodson’s hand on his way to the plate.
The two teams return to action Saturday for a doubleheader, with the opener slated for 1 p.m. and the second game planned for 6 p.m.
