Cowboys Win Series vs. TCU, Cowgirls Swept In Lawrence

Cowboys Claim Finale For First Big 12 Series Win

STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State won the rubber match of its series with TCU Sunday as the 24th-ranked Cowboys picked up a 9-4 victory at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.

Sunday's outcome gave OSU its first Big 12 Conference series win of the season as the Cowboys improved to 3-3 in league play and 19-9 overall.

Eight different Cowboys combined for OSU's 13 hits in the contest, led by Ryan Sluder's 3-for-5 effort, and Vince Wheeland earned his first win of the season with five scoreless innings of relief.

TCU (15-12, 2-4) took the game's initial lead as the Horned Frogs scored two runs on four hits against OSU starter Garrett Williams in the top of the first inning.

The Cowboys answered with three runs of their own in the second to go on top. Tanner Krietemeier reached on an error to open the inning, and walks to Robie Rojas and Tim Arakawa loaded the bases with one out. Craig McConaughy brought home OSU's first run with an RBI infield single, and Gage Green put the Pokes up 3-2 with a two-RBI double into the left-center field gap.

The third inning saw both offenses answer. In the top of the inning, TCU went back on top on Jerrick Suiter's two-RBI double, but the Cowboys regained the lead in the bottom of the frame. Zach Fish's RBI single brought home the tying run, and OSU took a 5-4 advantage when Krietemeier scored on an error.

OSU added another run in the fourth on an RBI by Krietemeier, and Fish crushed his fifth home run of the season, a two-run shot to left-centerfield, to put the Cowboys up by an 8-4 margin in the sixth.

That was more than enough for the Cowboys.

Wheeland came on in relief of Williams in the fourth and dominated over the next five innings. He did not allow a hit while walking just one and striking out three. Brendan McCurry then came on and worked a perfect ninth inning to seal the win for the Cowboys.

Sluder was one of four Cowboys with multiple hits in the contest as Green, Fish and Conor Costello each had two hits.

OSU returns to action Tuesday when the Cowboys travel to Norman to take on Bedlam-rival Oklahoma in a non-conference contest set for a 6 p.m. start.

Cowgirls Swept At Kansas

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Oklahoma State softball team lost a nine-inning thriller to Kansas, 2-1, Sunday afternoon at Arrocha Ballpark.

The weekend trend continued as the pitching led the way for both teams.

Kansas (27-10, 3-0 Big 12) broke the 0-0 tie in the bottom of the fifth inning when Chaley Brickey singled home Taylor McElhaney to take a 1-0 lead.

The Cowgirls battled and in the top of the sixth inning, with runners on first and second and two outs, Shelby Davis rocketed a ball into left centerfield, scoring Michalea Patton from second to tie the game at 1-1. On the play, Gessenia DeLaCruz was thrown out at home. However, interference was called on the Jayhawks second baseman, which placed DeLaCruz back on third base. The Cowgirls wouldn't get another run on the inning and for the second time in three days, the game went into extra innings.

The Jayhawks walked off with the win in the bottom of the ninth inning on a bases loaded wild pitch to give KU the 2-1 win and the series sweep.

Starting pitcher Simone Freeman pitched eight innings, allowing one run on five hits and striking out 12. Meagan Lively (1-2) entered the game in the bottom of the ninth inning and allowed one run on no hits.

At the plate, the Cowgirls had seven hits, and for the third game in a row they were led by Davis who went 3-for-5 with a double and a run batted in. Ari Morrison went 2-for-4 and DeLaCruz and Tiffany Mikkelson each had a base hit for the Cowgirls.

The Cowgirls (19-14, 0-3) return to action, Wednesday April 2, when they travel to Norman, Okla,. for game one for the Bedlam Series. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. at Marita Hynes Field.