Cowboys Drop Middle Game Of Series

Saturday, May 6

Stillwater, OK

3:00 PM

Oklahoma State University

24-20

Lamar

27-21

Lamar

Oklahoma State

Jon Littell

May 06, 2017 | Cowboy Baseball

Box Score

Photos

Holliday interview

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State could not secure a series win Saturday at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium as Lamar held on for a 7-6 win over the Cowboys to even the series at one game apiece.

The loss dropped OSU to 24-20 on the season, while Lamar improved to 27-21. Sunday's rubber game is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch.

The Cowboys brought the winning run to the plate in the bottom of the ninth but could not get a walk-off hit for a second consecutive day as Garrett Benge grounded out to end the game.

OSU recorded 11 hits in the loss, with Garrett McCain continuing to lead the Cowboys' attack with a 3-for-5 effort. Jon Littell was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and two RBIs, and Jacob Chappell also picked up a pair of hits.

Taking his first loss of the season on the mound was Joe Lienhard as the sophomore right-hander did not make it out of the second inning and allowed four runs to fall to 2-1 on the season.

OSU jumped out to an early lead with a two-out rally in the first inning. Following back-to-back walks to Benge and Colin Simpson, Littell smacked a ball that one-hopped the wall in the right-center field for a two-RBI double to put the Pokes up 2-0.

The lead was short lived, however. In the second, Lamar loaded the bases with one out against Lienhard before a two-RBI double tied the game and ended Lienhard's day on the mound after only 1 1/3 innings. C.J. Varela came out of the bullpen but was greeted by an RBI single off the bat of Phil Ingram to put the Cardinals on top, 3-2.

Lamar doubled its lead on a sacrifice fly to make it 4-2 before Varela got out of the second without any further damage.

The visitors added to their lead with a two-out rally against Peyton Battenfield in the fourth, tallying three runs on three hits to extend their lead to 7-2.

In the bottom of the inning, the Cowboys would answer with a three spot of their own. Littell led off the frame with a double, and a single by Cade Cabbiness put runners on the corners with no outs. After a strikeout, OSU reeled off three consecutive RBI singles, by Trevor Boone, Chappell and Ryan Cash, to cut its deficit to 7-5 before a double play ended the inning.

OSU plated its final run in the seventh. McCain led off the inning with a single and promptly stole second, and Benge followed with an RBI single through the right side to make the score 7-6.

The threat of a big inning was thwarted, however, when LU right fielder Cole Girouard, who had just entered the game to open the frame, made a highlight-reel catch on a ball hit by Simpson as he crashed into the wall and held onto the ball to rob OSU of an extra-base hit and the potential tying run.

Tanner Driskill would pick up the win in relief for the Cardinals as he worked the final 4 2/3 innings and held OSU to just one run on four hits while striking out six.