Oklahoma State Baseball Struggles in Series Against Big 12 Leader Kansas
Stillwater — In a season marked by a growing number of injured pitchers, the Oklahoma State baseball team found itself unable to secure a series win against one of the Big 12’s top teams. On Sunday, No. 21 Kansas delivered a decisive blow with a fifth-inning grand slam by Dariel Osoria, leading to a 9-6 victory over the Cowboys at O’Brate Stadium.
“Disappointing, for sure,” said OSU coach Josh Holliday, who has accumulated 499 career wins. “We weren’t able to quite respond in those middle innings. The grand slam was a momentum-changing swing, but we never went back at them with enough quality at-bats to pull momentum back.”
The Cowboys had taken a 4-1 lead into the fifth inning, only for Kansas to erupt with five runs, capped by the grand slam. This shift in momentum proved too much for Oklahoma State to overcome.
OSU starting pitcher Brennan Phillips was pulled during the fifth inning, ending what had been a strong performance for the left-handed veteran. Phillips allowed four runs on six hits over 4 ⅔ innings and was the first of five pitchers used in the loss. Despite his efforts, the Cowboys were unable to maintain their lead.
Oklahoma State (24-16, 8-10 Big 12) managed to take the opening game of the series, but Kansas (29-11, 14-4) bounced back with two consecutive wins to clinch the series.
Danny Wallace Steps Up as Replacement in Right Field
With regular right fielder TP Wentworth sidelined due to an injury sustained in the Bedlam win on Tuesday, coach Holliday turned to freshman Danny Wallace to fill the role. Wallace performed admirably, reaching base five times in 10 plate appearances, including two walks and two hit-by-pitch incidents. On Sunday, he capped the weekend with a solo home run, marking his second of the year.
“Danny had a good weekend,” Holliday said. “The three-game look, he had some good moments, for sure. The first game of the series, he was on base all four times. A lot of at-bats there where he’s learning. He’s seeing some pitches and pitching sequences that’ll take any good young right-handed batter and make you realize you’re gonna have to figure out how to hit those sliders.”
Hudson Barrett Returns, Aidan Meola Suffers Possible Injury
The Oklahoma State pitching staff, already dealing with multiple injuries, saw a potential boost with the return of Hudson Barrett, a left-hander who had not pitched in three weeks due to an arm injury. Barrett faced the first batter he encountered, then allowed a single. A sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly brought in the only run he allowed, ending the inning with a strikeout.
Barrett, who had been set to start on Friday before his injury, will now serve in a late-inning role. “We knew we were able to get Hudson back in the fold for one inning,” Holliday said. “Right there in the eighth, it was the heart of their order, so it was just as much of a high-value inning as the ninth would’ve been. So we were able to get him back in there, and it looked like he got through the outing healthy, felt good. And that’s great. If he can do that, we can continue to factor him in the mix now, probably most likely as a late-inning guy and maybe in a closer’s-type situation. It was good to see him out there. A shot of good mojo for our kids.”
On the other hand, veteran third baseman Aidan Meola was removed from the game after being hit on the hand by a pitch in the fifth inning. “It wasn’t precautionary, unfortunately,” Holliday said. “We haven’t had a chance to get him checked out.” Meola, known for his consistency this season, has been batting .278 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs. After his exit, several freshmen took turns filling his spot in the lineup.
Cowboys Continue Fight for NCAA Tournament Berth
Despite the loss, the Cowboys remain in contention for an NCAA Tournament berth. Entering the weekend, they ranked No. 42 in the RPI, considered a bubble team. Their opening win over Kansas should help strengthen their case, and they have several opportunities to add more victories in the final month of the season.
This week, the team will host Wichita State on Tuesday before heading to Texas Tech for a three-game series beginning Friday. The Red Raiders are currently tied for next-to-last in the Big 12 with a 6-12 record in league play.
“How you respond is what defines you,” Holliday said. “You’d like for the final outcome of your contest to be in your favor so your response is not always feeling like it’s getting back up again, but rather playing from out front a little bit. That’s not been a position we’ve been able to get into very easily this year. So we continue to just bounce back.”
Additional Coverage
Oklahoma State baseball’s Campbell Smithwick and Brennan Phillips led the team to a victory over OU in the Bedlam series. Fans can follow live score updates for Oklahoma State vs. Kansas games. The game starts at 1 p.m. CDT at O’Brate Stadium in Stillwater.
For those interested in watching, the Oklahoma State vs. Kansas game will be streamed on ESPN+. Viewers can find details on how to watch the game online.
Highlights from the game are available, and fans can check the official Oklahoma State baseball Twitter feed for updates. If the feed doesn’t load, viewers can click here for alternative access.
Scott Wright covers Oklahoma State athletics for The Oklahoman. Readers can reach him via email at [email protected] or on Twitter at @ScottWrightOK. Subscribers can support his work and that of other journalists by purchasing a digital subscription at subscribe.oklahoman.com.
