STILLWATER, Okla. – The No. 22 Oklahoma State Cowboys scored in seven of eight innings in which they batted Monday afternoon as they finished a three-game sweep of ACU with an 8-4 win over the Wildcats at Reynolds Stadium.
The Cowboys (10-6) scored single runs in the first, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings before scoring two in the bottom of the eighth after the Wildcats had closed to within 6-4. The loss drops the Wildcats to 8-7 on the season as they've lost three straight for the first time this season.
The Wildcats will be back in action Tuesday at 3 p.m. when it hosts old NCAA Division II Texas-Permian Basin in a non-conference game at Crutcher Scott Field. The game against the 8-15 Falcons serves as the first of a four-game homestand for the Wildcats, who will host Southland Conference preseason favorite Southeastern Louisiana in a three-game series this weekend.
OSU shortstop Donnie Waltson led the Cowboys' offense by going 3 for 5 with two RBI, and rightfielder Corey Hassel and designated hitter David Petrino drove in two runs apiece.
The Cowboys led 6-2 going to the top of the eighth when the Wildcats put together their best offensive threat of the day. After a leadoff walk by pinch-hitter
Trey Albaugh,
Braxton Wilks and
Heath Beasley each reached on errors to load the bases.
Junior
Russell Crippen and freshman
David Ruot each delivered sacrifice flies to cut the OSU lead to 6-4. Blake Battenfield then got out of the rest of the inning without further damage as the Wildcats drew to within two runs.
OSU, however, answered back with two runs in the bottom of the eighth to put the game away as both runs came home on Walton's two-run single to center to make it 8-4.
Aaron Mason (3-1) gave up seven hits and three runs (one earned) over four innings and was tagged with his first loss of the season. Crippen finished 2 for 3 with a pair of RBI, while Wilks was 1 for 4 with two runs scored and
Mark Pearson was 2 for 4.
