Cowboys Fall To Shockers, 9-6
STILLWATER, Okla. — Oklahoma State’s baseball team suffered a 9-6 loss in a rain-shortened contest against Wichita State on Tuesday night in Stillwater.
The Cowboys dropped to 17-9 with the loss, while the Shockers improved to 18-9 on the year.
Wichita State struck first, plating a pair of runs in the first on a double to left by Bret Bascue.
The Shockers threatened again two innings later, putting runners on second and third with one out before Cowboy starting pitcher Kevin Chambers struck out the next two hitters to end the threat.
Third baseman Mark Ginther chased home the Cowboys’ first run in the bottom of the third with a single to left, scoring second baseman Davis Duren. Catcher Kevin David leveled the score at two apiece after scorching a single up the middle to bring Ginther home.
However, the Shockers jumped back in front in the fifth with a five-run frame.
Tyler Grimes got the inning started with a single before stealing second and scoring on a single up the middle by Preston Springer. After a bunt single by Cody Lassley, Bascue struck again with a double down the right field line that brought home Springer. Ryan Jones followed with WSU’s fifth-straight hit, another double into the rightfield corner, to plate two more runs and chase Chambers from the game.
Chris O’Brien greeted reliever Trevor Walch with the Shockers’ third consecutive double to score Jones, making the score 7-2. Walch settled in to retire the next three hitters and end the inning.
After a single by Grimes in the sixth, Springer made it 9-2, driving a 1-2 pitch over the leftfield wall.
In the seventh, Ginther cut into the Shocker lead with a two-run homer over the leftfield wall. The blast was the Tulsa, Okla., native’s sixth of the year. David kept the inning alive with a single before Luis Uribe reached on an error and Dean Green drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases.
Centerfielder Dusty Harvard cut the margin to 9-6 with a single up the middle that snuck just under the glove of Shocker second baseman Will Baez. Duren loaded the bases again after getting hit on the hand with a pitch by Shocker reliever Grant Muncrief.
Making his second plate appearance of the inning, Tom Belza ended the inning with a flyout to center.
The Shockers put runners on first and third in the top of the eighth before a one-hour, two-minute weather delay postponed and, ultimately, forced the conclusion of the game.
Chambers went four innings and took the loss for , falling to 3-2. starter Josh Smith worked 6.2 innings to earn the win and improve to 3-2 on the year. Logan Hoch earned the save for the Shockers as well.
Duren, Ginther and David all had two-hit games for the Cowboys with Ginther also driving in three of the squad’s six runs on the night.
The Cowboys will be back in action tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. when they travel to Missouri State.
Updated 04-07-2010
READER COMMENTS
