STILLWATER – Oklahoma State captured a 7-2 win over Little Rock in the first-ever game at O’Brate Stadium Wednesday.
A limited-capacity crowd of 2,635 watched as the 17th-ranked Cowboys rallied for five runs in the second inning to propel them to victory and improve to 3-0 on the season.
The Pokes outhit Little Rock 9-4 on the day, with Matt Golda and Nolan McLean collecting two hits apiece for OSU.
On the mound, the Cowboys used five pitchers, with Wyatt Cheney coming out of the bullpen in relief to record his first-career win.
Notable firsts from the first game at O’Brate Stadium included:
· First strikeout: OSU pitcher Justin Campbell, who struck out the side in the first inning;
· First hit: Little Rock’s Canyon McWilliams, who singled in the second inning;
· First OSU hit: Cade Cabbiness, who delivered a double to left-center field in the bottom of the second;
· First RBI: Hueston Morrill, who drove in OSU’s first run with a single in the second inning;
· First home run: Alix Garcia, who smashed a solo shot to right field in the fifth.
The pivotal second inning saw OSU send 10 batters to the plate and score five runs on five hits.
Garcia got things started with a one-out walk, and Cabbiness followed with a double. Up next, a single through the left side off the bat of Morrill made the score 1-0.
After a throwing error allowed OSU’s second run to score, Caeden Trenkle, Jake Thompson and McLean delivered consecutive RBI singles to push the lead to 5-0.
Campbell turned in a strong start on the mound, working four innings and striking out six while allowing just one run on two hits.
Leading 5-1 through 4 ½ innings, OSU extended its lead back to five on Garcia’s opposite-field homer in the fifth.
The Trojans (1-2) would plate their final run on a long ball as well as McWilliams went deep in the sixth to make the score 6-2.
OSU’s final run came in the sixth when McLean scored on a wild pitch with the bases loaded.
Cheney worked two scoreless innings in relief of Campbell and struck out three, while John Kelly, Colton Bowman and Brett Standlee kept Little Rock off the scoreboard over the final three innings.
OSU returns to action Friday when the Cowboys open a three-game series against Illinois, with the opener set for a 4 p.m. first pitch.