Cowboys Rout Lobos, 13-0

Oklahoma State shut out New Mexico for the second-straight day and got plenty of offensive production throughout the lineup as the 18th-ranked Cowboys handed the Lobos a 13-0 loss Wednesday at Allie P. Reynolds Stadium.

The win was the fourth in a row for OSU, who improved to 11-6 on the season, while UNM fell to 11-5.

For the second consecutive day, a Cowboys' starting pitcher had a career day as Joe Lienhard toed the rubber and tossed 6 1/3 shutout innings and recorded seven strikeouts, both easily setting career highs.

Offensively, OSU racked up 16 hits, with the red-hot bat of Garrett Benge leading the way. The Cowboy third baseman homered for the second-straight day and went 4-for-5 with three RBIs. Garrett McCain, Andrew Rosa and Jon Littell each added two RBIs for the Pokes.

OSU wasted no time jumping out to a big lead, rallying with two outs in their first at bat. Trevor Boone got the scoring started with an RBI single, and Rosa then doubled to the left-center field gap to bring home a pair of runs and make it 3-0. Littell followed with an RBI double of his own as the Cowboys led by four after the first inning.

In the second, the home team continued its trend of producing with two outs. Benge's two-run home run to right field made the score 6-0, and four batters later, Littell drew a walk with the bases loaded to extend the lead to 7-0.

That was more than enough support for Lienhard, who dominated a UNM lineup that entered the week ranked second in the NCAA in batting average at .358.

The sophomore right-hander took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Danny Collier broke it up with a single through the right side with one out in the inning.

Lienhard, who earned his first win of the season, allowed just the one hit, and his 6 1/3 innings more than doubled his previous long outing of three innings set last season. His seven strikeouts also set a career mark with his previous best of four also coming in 2016.

OSU had its most productive offensive inning in the seventh as they rallied for five runs, getting an RBI single from pinch hitter Dustin Williams, a two-RBI double by McCain and an RBI double by pinch hitter Cade Cabiness. The Cowboys also tallied a run on a wild pitch.

C.J. Varela came out of the bullpen and recorded two outs in the seventh, and Brady Basso struck out four over the final two innings to secure the Cowboys' third shutout of the season as OSU held the Lobos to just three hits in the game after limiting them to only one on Tuesday.

OSU continues its 10-game homestand this weekend against Northwestern State. Friday's series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m.